


Roads Not Taken

by Oriana



Category: Mach GoGoGo | Speed Racer
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2010-10-07
Updated: 2010-10-08
Packaged: 2017-10-12 12:14:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 53,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/124718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oriana/pseuds/Oriana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Speed and Trixie break up and travel very different roads in life only to meet up again ten years later.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU story about what happens when Speed and Trixie break up, only to meet years later.  
> It's a real departure for me as I'm going to be employing flashbacks. I got the idea from Lost. Unlike Lost, though, there won't be a flashback in every chapter. Mostly I'll be using them to bridge the time between the prologue and the rest of the story. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Speed Racer is the property of Speed Racer Enterprises.

The chauffeur opened the door of the sleek, black limousine. Gregory Racer and his fiancé, Patricia Shimura, slid inside. The couple, better known to most people as Speed and Trixie, cuddled close to one another.

"It was a beautiful wedding, wasn't it?" Trixie asked.

"One of the best I've ever been to," Speed responded. "The food was delicious. I've never tasted steak so good."

"Of course the food would be the most memorable part of the wedding for you!" Trixie said with a chuckle. "Not one comment on how beautiful a bride Lily Marker made."

"Hey, I like to eat!" Speed exclaimed. "And I was too busy gazing at my gorgeous fiancée to even notice the bride. You out shined Lily by a mile, honey." His voice softened. "It wasn't easy watching you dance with that guy Chet."

"You know I didn't have a choice, Speed. I was a bridesmaid and he was the groomsman I was stuck with," Trixie said. "And I _do_ mean stuck. That guy had the worst breath!"

"Just what were you doing letting yourself get close enough to the guy's mouth to even smell his breath?" Speed tried to quell his jealousy.

"Stop being silly. We had to dance together and you can't help being close to somebody's mouth when you do that. Besides, you seemed to be enjoying yourself enough, dancing nice and close with Lily's cousin. She's quite pretty."

"Aw, she's just a kid, Trixie," Speed said defensively. "Practically jail bait!"

"Practically, but not quite. She's almost eighteen. That's only a little more than four years younger than you."

"She's still in high school so she might as well be fifty years younger than me for all we had in common. I had no idea what she was talking about most of the time." He paused and gazed into her eyes. "Babe, you know you're the only girl for me. All other women pale in comparison to you." To prove it he lowered his lips to hers and gave her a long, lingering kiss. He pulled back and said, "I swear if I could dump that chauffeur I'd take you right here in the back seat!"

Trixie giggled. "I could see you doing that. Grabbing the chauffeur from behind and chucking him out the door. Although I don't think we'd end up looking very good smashed up against a building or something." Now it was her turn to kiss him. "We'll be home in a few minutes, you can wait."

Speed shook his head. "I'm not so sure I can." He placed his hand on her thigh and lightly stroked it. "Do you know how horny you make me?" he whispered in her ear.

\---

Trixie lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Speed was next to her, sleeping like the proverbial log. She marveled at how less than a half an hour ago he was wide awake, nearly hyper in his lovemaking. But within minutes of climax he could hardly keep his eyes open. It was in his physical make-up to sleep after sex. Unfortunately, it wasn't in hers. It would be some time before she would be relaxed enough to fall asleep.

She glanced over at her fiancé and smiled. The man was beautiful; there was no doubt about it. Everything about him was pure perfection, his body, his hair, even his teeth. Then there were his eyes, large, expressive and an amazing cobalt blue. They were compelling and she often found herself getting lost in them. Those amazing eyes, with their thick, black lashes, now moved beneath closed lids. "He's dreaming," she said. "What about, I wonder?" She started to reach underneath the blanket towards his groin, just to see if the dream was an exciting one. "No, let him be. You know he'll wake up if you do that. He needs his rest; he's got a big race to practice for."

She pulled the blanket up under her chin, musing about the wedding. "I'm so happy for Lily. Just think, two years ago when she changed nurseries for her flower shop, little did she know she'd end marrying the owner of the new place. Funny how life works sometimes. Two years... The same amount of time Speed and I have been living together. I wonder if we'll ever get married..." She released a long sigh. Sure, they were engaged, which was at least something. Though, when asked about actually choosing a date to get married, Speed seemed almost petrified of the idea.

"You know the old expression," her friend Janine Trotter said to her last month when they were discussing the subject of marriage, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?"

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Trixie had angrily shot back. "It was a joint decision to move in together. I mean we were going back and forth to each other's apartments every night. It was ridiculous! Moving in together was the logical thing to do."

"He could've asked you to marry him, Trixie."

"He did ask me to marry him! He even got me this ring." She pointed to the diamond solitaire on her left hand.

"You still haven't set a date."

"We will. Speed wants to wait until racing season ends," Trixie said.

Janine rolled her eyes. "Isn't that the same thing he said last year?"

"We both decided to wait until another year. Speed wants us to have a big, fancy wedding. That takes time to plan," Trixie explained.

"Sure it does." There was another eye-roll from Janine.

The argument ended up in a stalemate. Yet, Trixie couldn't help but notice the smug expression on Janine's face. "She's right. Why would Speed need to marry me when he already has all the advantages of marriage a man could want? I wonder if things would have turned out differently if we'd never slept together the night he won the World Championship..."

 _**Flashback** _

_Three years ago..._

 _Speed held Trixie close as they whirled around the dance floor. "I can't believe all this is for me!" he exclaimed as they passed the five piece band that played his favorite songs._

 _"You're the World Champion, Speed. Don't you think you deserve it?"_

 _"I don't know... I guess I'm just not used to all this attention being focused on me."_

 _"Well you'd better get used to it because I heard that when we get back to the States they're going to give you a ticker tape parade in New York City."_

 _"No way!" he said. The song ended and he led her back to the table. "I'm not an astronaut or baseball player."_

 _Trixie sat in the chair that Speed pulled out for her. "No, you're just the greatest racer in the world!" She smiled as she watched the blush slowly creep over his face. He suddenly looked like a little boy and it was endearing to her._

 _"This is all too surreal to me, like a dream," he said as he sipped a glass of champagne he'd just poured from the bottle that sat on the table._

 _"A dream come true! I know how hard you worked for this."_

 _"The whole team busted their butts, including you."_

 _She smiled. "Don't worry, Mr. Goldminter already promised to reward the team for their effort."_

 _"He's a nice man. I told him I didn't want his gold, yet he insisted on giving me a cash prize for winning."_

 _"How much is he giving you?" she asked._

 _He took another drink from his glass before responding. "Five million."_

 _"Five million **dollars**?" Trixie was astounded, yet Speed didn't seem fazed at all. "That's a lot of money. Speed, you're rich! Doesn't that excite you?"_

 _"I'm far from rich, Trixie." He said and drained his glass._

 _"Sure you are! You're a millionaire five times over."_

 _He shook his head. "I'm giving it to Pops so he can buy a bigger factory with an actual practice track and hire a real pit crew. He's also got a ton of debt from when he started his business. He can pay off his loans and Pops Motors will finally be in the black. And don't forget he's working on that new engine for the Mach Five. With all that money he'll have no problem building it. I also want him to take some time off and go on a second honeymoon with Mom. She's had to deal with a lot of stress these past few years. The time away together will do them good. As for the rest? They can bank it for Spritle's college education and their retirement."_

 _"Speed that is the sweetest thing I've ever heard. You could have kept that money for yourself instead you're giving it to your folks." She kissed him and his face again reddened._

 _"Aw, Trix," he said softly. "You're embarrassing me."_

 _"Well I'm very proud of you and I wanted to show you just how much."_

 _"Thanks... Um, do you want some more champagne?" He motioned to the empty glass in front of her._

 _"No thank you. And don't you think you've had enough?" she asked._

 _"Not nearly." He refilled his glass and took a long sip of the bubbly drink, giggling as it tickled his nose. "This stuff's good!"_

 _She smiled again as she watched him. He was getting drunk, she could tell. But it was his night and even Pops had said nothing to him about his overindulging. Besides, it was getting late and in another hour or so the party would be over._

 _He stretched and put his arm around her. "Did you see my room?" he asked. "It's huge!"_

 _"It's a suite from what Pops told me. It sounds gorgeous."_

 _"It is. You want to see it?"_

 _"I'd love to," she said. Of course, she had stayed in suites many times in her youth when traveling with her family. It wasn't anything particularly exciting for her, but she knew that for Speed it was a new experience._

 _He led her from the table, first topping off his champagne glass. "I might get thirsty on the long ride up to my room," he said, giggling again. Once in the elevator, he grabbed her and kissed her with such intensity that it took her breath away. "I've wanted to do that all night," he said breathlessly. She nodded and before she could say anything, he kissed her again._

 _So involved were they in their ardor that they didn't even notice that the elevator had come to a stop. The door opened and a man in a white dinner jacket with a black mask covering his face entered. "Hello, Speed... Trixie," he said._

 _The voice snapped them back to reality. Speed quickly pulled away from Trixie who leaned against the wall trying to catch her breath. "Racer X!" Speed's embarrassment at being caught clearly showed on his face. "I uh... was just thanking Trixie for all her support during the race."_

 _"I see," the Masked Racer said, clearly amused. "You have a very interesting way of saying thanks." He noticed that Speed's champagne glass hung from his hand and had poured onto the floor of the elevator. "You spilled your drink, Speed."_

 _Speed rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah... I guess I did. I think I kinda had enough anyway."_

 _Racer X nodded. From the slurring of his words it was obvious that Speed was drunk. It also explained why he had been kissing Trixie. "Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to get some sleep."_

 _The elevator stopped at Speed's floor. "Um, yeah that's just what we're going to do. Get some sleep in my bed." He took hold of Trixie's hand, "C'mon, Trix. Uh... See you tomorrow, Racer X."_

 _The left the elevator and the former Rex Racer was left to ponder Speed's words. "They're going to sleep in his bed?" He shook his head. "I don't want to know..."_

 _"Oh man, I can't believe Racer X caught us!" Speed exclaimed. He suddenly burst out laughing. "Did you see his face?"_

 _"What face? He always wears that stupid mask!" Trixie joined him laughing as she was also feeling the effects of the champagne._

 _The two stumbled down the hall to Speed's suite. He took the key from his pocket and clumsily opened the door. "Ta da!" he said, "Welcome to my humble little abode."_

 _"Oh Speed, it's beautiful!" Trixie exclaimed as she took in the magnificent splendor that was **The** **Presidential Suite**. "This is nicer than anything my family ever stayed in."_

 _Speed beamed. "You ain't seen nothin' yet, babe!" He again grasped her hand and proceeded to show her around. "Look at this kitchen! My mother would go crazy in here. But with room service, why would she even need to cook?" He was nearly manic in his excitement. "Oh, and this way is the living room. Yep. That first room we were in is some kinda foyer or something. The couch is so soft, you gotta sit on it." Trixie nodded and was about to do just that when Speed pulled her away. "Not so fast! I still gotta show you the bedroom."_

 _They went down a small hallway the ended with a door that was open halfway. "You gotta see this bed, Trix." The bed was super king-sized topped with a pale, yellow satin spread with matching satin sheets underneath. "Isn't this so cool?" He sat on it, bouncing. "It's almost as big as my entire room back home."_

 _"It certainly is, Speed."_

 _"Yeah, it sure... Oh!" Typical of someone who was inebriated, his attention span was short. He forgot what he was talking about as his eyes were drawn to the nightstand where a bottle rested in an ice bucket. Two champagne flutes flanked it. "Lookie here! More champagne!"_

 _"Speed, I don't think you need anymore."_

 _"Sure I do!" he said as he removed the bottle from the bucket. "Watch out for flying corks!" With a pop the bottle opened and champagne flowed over the rim. "Oops!" He laughed as he filled both glasses, even though Trixie shook her head indicating that she didn't want any. "Just one glass so we can make a toast," he said._

 _"We've been toasting all night, Speed."_

 _"Aw, please Trix. It's my night. Like you said I'm the World Champion. The biggest story in the universe, at least for tonight. Tomorrow at this time I'll probably just be a footnote. All but forgotten." He saw her expression soften a little. "Just one more glass. Please?"_

 _She sighed. "Okay, just one."_

 _He motioned her to the bed. "Sit down next to me." She complied and took the flute he offered her. "To us," he said._

 _"To us." She toasted him and sipped a small amount of her drink while he drained nearly half of his._

 _He held her hand tight and gazed into her eyes. "Trix, I want to apologize about the race. About using Sparky as my navigator instead of you. It's just that he's a top-notch mechanic and with all the driving I was doing I really needed him."_

 _"Speed, there's no need to apologize, I understand completely."_

 _"Thanks... But I still wish you were the one in the car with me when I crossed the finish line."_

 _She squeezed his hand. "Well, you're with me now."_

 _"Yes, I am." He took another swig of his champagne. "I'm really glad it's you here in my bed with me instead of Sparky." He chuckled. "That didn't come out right." He stood up and quickly fell back on the bed. "Ohhh... I think the champagne has gone to my head."_

 _Trixie leaned over him. "Are you feeling okay, Speed?"_

 _He smiled dreamily. "Oh yeah, I feel great!" With that, he pulled her down and kissed her. In each other's embrace, they rolled over until he was on top of her. Their kisses became more urgent. "Trixie..." he said; his voice gutteral. She could feel his hardness as he thrust himself against her. His eyes had a strange, wild look to them. It was something she had never seen before: Pure, primal lust. It almost scared her to see him like this, so out of control. It frightened her even more when she realized that she wanted desperately to have him make love to her._

 _Suddenly the two were naked. When it happened, she didn't remember as her mind was reeling. They were on the bed writhing about as passion, and instinct, took over. She awoke the next morning with a splitting headache and fuzzy memories. "We did it," she said, her heart pounding. "This will change everything between us..."_

 _ **End Flashback  
**_  
"Things sure did change and I'm not so sure for the better," she said; her mind now back in the present. "I love him and the sex is incredible, but sometimes I think that something just isn't right about it. I wonder if we should've waited until we were married." She hugged herself tightly. "Married... Yeah right. Like that will ever happen anytime soon." She turned on her side and faced Speed. "Well, you've got all the free milk you want. I hope you're happy."


	2. Chapter 2

**_Flashforward Ten Years..._ **

The late-model Mercedes drove down Fifth Street; its driver trying to keep her eyes on both the road and the storefronts at the same time. "Where are the addresses? None of these buildings seem to have any addresses posted," Trixie Shimura said in frustration. "Well, I'll just have to keep a look out for a sign with the name on it. The receptionist said it has a coral stucco exterior. The trouble is that they _all_ have coral stucco exteriors." A tropical looking sign caught her eye. **"Four Palms Real Estate**. That's it!" She pulled the car around the building and into the municipal lot.

She walked to the front of the building, clutching a business card that had been left in her hotel's lobby. "Hopefully, she'll be able to get me a good price for Daddy's lake house."

The receptionist greeted her with a bright smile and an obviously stock greeting. "Good morning, welcome to Four Palms Real Estate. How may I help you?"

"My name is Patricia Shimura. I called yesterday inquiring about selling some property. I was told to come in at ten AM to speak with someone."

The young woman clicked her mouse and pulled up the appointment schedule on her computer and nodded. "Have a seat Ms. Shimura. An agent will be with you shortly. Would you like some coffee or tea?"

"No thank you," Trixie said. She perused a three-week-old copy of People magazine while she waited. About fifteen minutes later a plump, friendly-faced women with dark brown hair approached her.

"Ms. Shimura, I'm Gladys Weaver."

"Nice to meet you," Trixie said, shaking the agent's extended hand.

"You have property you wish to sell?"

"Yes," Trixie replied. "Well, actually it belongs to my father."

"Please step into my office and I'll see what I can do for you. I'm sure I can get you an excellent price."

\---

Almost an hour later, Trixie left the office confident that Gladys Weaver would be able to get her father a good deal for his lake-front home.

"Everything go okay?" the receptionist asked.

"Yes, very well, thank you." Just as she turned to leave, the door was flung open by an attractive woman with short blonde hair. She was in a frenzy.

"Marie," she addressed the receptionist breathlessly, "any calls?" She had a computer bag over one arm, a large, leather Coach hand bag over the other, a cell phone in her right hand and folders under both arms.

"The Dickinsons, they wanted to let you know that they can do the open house next Saturday. They were very anxious to speak with you and were upset that you weren't answering your phone. I explained to them that when you're showing a home, you turn off your phone. I said you would call them first thing tomorrow and that seemed to satisfy them."

"Good. Because I really don't want to deal with those people today." She plopped the folders on the receptionist's desk. "Whew! I was ready to drop them. Could you please file these when you get the chance?"

"Sure."

"Any other calls?"

"A few, but I got a couple of the other agents to deal with them. Oh, and your husband also called. He said he'd pick up the kids from school and drop them off at his parents' house and that he'd meet you at the restaurant at seven-thirty."

"Did he say which restaurant?" the woman asked.

"No. I didn't think to ask, either. I'm sorry, Vicky, I just figured you already had that worked out."

Vicky's stern face relaxed a bit. "It's not your fault. My husband is just so damned clueless. I guess now I'll have to call him to find out where to meet him." Just as she was about to hit a number on her speed dial, the phone rang. She glanced at the number that was showing and sighed before putting the phone to her ear. "I was just about to call you... Yes, Marie told me... Right. It's the very least you could do... Oh please... I don't want get into this again with you. Just tell me what restaurant to meet you at... Fine. I'll be there at seven-thirty. And Greg? Leave the attitude at the office, m'kay?" She gritted her teeth and shoved the cell phone in her shoulder bag. "Idiot..." she mumbled.

Trixie stood by feeling very uncomfortable. She didn't know this woman and yet she had been made privy to a conversation between her and her husband that would have been better done in private. "Excuse me," she said meekly. Vicky moved so that she could leave. Trixie doubted that the woman even noticed her.

\---

 **Anthony's Waterfront Bistro** was unusually crowded for so late on a Wednesday. It was nearly nine-thirty, yet people milled about outside, many of them smoking, while they waited for a table. Trixie didn't have a reservation and was told the wait would be at least half an hour. "Well, I guess I can pass some of the time looking at the menu," she said; going over to the hostess stand and removing one from the stack. _"So many good things..."_ she thought as she perused it.

"I recommend the Broiled Tilapia Parmesan," a familiar male voice said from behind her.

"Huh?" She spun around and found herself facing a very handsome man with cobalt blue eyes. Shocked, she stood, mouth agape, and stared at him. It took her a few moments to compose herself. "Speed? Oh my God!"

He smiled broadly. "Hi Trixie," he said. "I've been watching you since you walked in. I was wondering when you'd notice me."

She shook the haze from her brain. "Well... I wasn't really expecting to see you here."

"Yeah I kind of figured that. So, what brings you back to town?"

"I'm here to oversee the sale of some property of my father's. Remember the lake house?"

"Yes. I always liked that place." He smiled again. "You're looking good."

She blushed. "Thanks. You look great!" He truly did. Speed wore a blue suit with a tie that was a lighter shade of blue. His hair was cut conservatively short which seemed to accentuate his good looks. She noticed a flash of gold on one of the fingers of his left hand. A wedding band. She stared at it for a moment then quickly averted her eyes. Of course he was married! It had been big news when it happened. How could she have forgotten? There was a coat draped over his arm. She had a feeling it belonged to his wife. Though, there was no women with him.

"This place has excellent food," he said. "Although I do think it's kind of ironic that it's called Anthony's Waterfront Bistro when it's miles from any waterfront."

"Yeah, that is kind of funny... "

A blonde woman strode over to them, she had a cell phone in her hand and an angry expression on her face. Trixie realized with a start that it was the harried woman from the real estate office.

"Everything all right?" Speed asked.

"Just _peachy_. It took your folks over an hour to get Stephanie to go to bed."

"How come?"

"It seems that Gregory told her there's a monster in your father's workshop that sneaks into little children's rooms and eats them. I wonder who he got that idea that from?"

Speed smiled sheepishly. "Uh, I was telling Gregory the other day about how when I was a kid I locked Spritle in Pops' workshop and told him that there was a monster in there who devoured children for dinner."

Vicky's voice rose in anger. "Oh that's just great. What is wrong with you, Greg? Steph is going to have nightmares for months. Tomorrow when you pick them up I want you to talk to both of them. Explain to Stephanie that Gregory was only teasing her and that there is no monster. And tell Gregory that if he pulls this crap again he's grounded."

Speed rolled his eyes. "You don't have to tell me to do that. Give me some credit, huh? I am their father. Sheesh!"

Vicky glared at him. It was then that she noticed Trixie standing by his side. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your _friend_ , Greg?"

"Sure. Uh... Vicky this is Trixie Shimura," he addressed his wife then turned to Trixie. "Trix, this is my wife, Vicky Racer."

"Victoria Kingston-Racer," she corrected him.

"Sor- _reee_ ," Speed said. "Trixie, meet my wife, _Ms._ Victoria Kingston-Racer." He smirked at his wife. "That better?" She shot him a deadly look.

"Uh... Nice to meet you," Trixie murmured feeling very ill at ease and wishing she could disappear. She had the feeling that Victoria didn't remember her from their earlier encounter, but knew who she was none the less.

"It's an extreme _pleasure_ to meet you," Victoria said in a tone dripping with false sincerity. "I've heard _soooo_ much about you, Trixie."

Not sure of what to say, Trixie just nodded. She wondered exactly what Speed had told his wife about their relationship. Whatever he said, it was enough to cause Victoria Racer to dislike her. Intensely.

Speed's eyes moved back and forth between the two women. He knew he had to say something. In retrospect he realized it probably would have been better to just say nothing. "Hey, Trix, how long are you gonna be in town?"

"I'm not sure. A couple of weeks at least," she responded, relieved that he was able to quickly change the subject before things got really awkward.

"I'm glad to hear that. What are you doing Saturday?"

"Nothing as far as I know," she said.

"Well, you've got something to do now. We're having a barbecue to celebrate Spritle's graduation," he said.

"From high school?"

Speed laughed. "College. Yes, it has been that long!"

Trixie quickly glanced at Victoria. She could practically see the steam coming out of her ears. Going to the barbecue would not make the woman happy. But she figured that maybe once they got to know each other Victoria would see that she wasn't a threat. "I think I can make it," she said.

"Great!" He took a pen from his pocket and a restaurant business card from the hostess stand. He wrote on the back and handed it to her. "My cell phone number. Call me tomorrow and I'll give you the directions to the house."

She smiled at the familiar scrawl. "All right. Thanks."

Victoria stood with her arms crossed, eyes glued on them. "Greg, do you think maybe you two can finish your lovely conversation tomorrow? I have to get home, I've got a ton of work to do."

Speed gave Trixie a _what can you do?_ shrug. "Yeah, I guess we better go. Besides, if we stand around yapping you won't hear the call for your table and you don't want that to happen because you'll miss out on a really good meal."

"So you said. It was nice seeing you again, Speed." She felt she had to say something to his wife, "And meeting you, too, Victoria." The woman just gave a very slight nod of her head.

"So, we'll be seeing you on Saturday?"

She kept her eyes on both of them. "I'm looking forward to it."

Speed smiled. "Call me tomorrow, in the afternoon if you can. I have three meetings in the morning." He handed Victoria her coat. Trixie noticed that he didn't help her into it as most men would.

The Racers proceeded to head out the door. They parted and went in opposite directions without so much as a goodbye kiss. "Wow, talk about having issues! I feel sorry for Speed." Then, she realized something very odd, Victoria called him Greg, not Speed. "Why?" she wondered. She also remembered that Speed mentioned that he had meetings tomorrow morning. _"He must have quit racing. I wonder what he's doing now? He's also the father of at least two children."_ She felt a twinge of sadness that she really didn't know anything about him or his life. He was a virtual stranger to her now.


	3. Chapter 3

Speed pulled his sleek sports car into the driveway much too fast. He quickly hit the brakes and the car came to an abrupt stop just inches from the garage door. He shook his head. "Nice maneuver there, Greggy boy." With a click of the remote control the garage door opened. He pulled in and glared at the silver SUV parked next to him. "Bitch." He knew he would catch hell when Victoria found out that he'd stopped at O'Malley's. "Screw her." Reaching into his suit pocket, he pulled out breath spray and squirted it into his mouth to mask the odor of the three Scotch and sodas he had consumed.

Victoria descended upon him the second he was in the door. "So, you finally decided to come home."

"Looks that way doesn't it?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Where were you?"

"None of your damned business."

"I'm your wife," she said. "I have the right to know."

"You're soon to be my former wife. Something I'm really looking forward to. And no, you don't have the right to know where I was."

"You don't have to tell me where you were, Greg, I already know. I wonder what your good friend, the Inspector, would say if he found out you were driving under the influence."

"One drink isn't driving under the influence," he countered.

"It was more than one, _dear_. I can tell. It's just too bad you weren't caught because a night in jail might do you good."

He laughed sardonically. "It would be better than spending a night with _you_ , that's for sure. You know, you should be happy I only went to the bar, because I could've gone somewhere else."

"Oh yes, like into the arms of your beloved Trixie. Just when did you two arrange tonight's _surprise_ reunion?"

Speed rolled his eyes. "You're delusional. If Trixie and I had something set up we certainly wouldn't have included you in our plans."

"You sure as hell included her in Saturday's plans! You just can't help rubbing your relationship with her in my face. God, you're despicable!"

"What relationship? I invited her because she's a friend. That's _all_. Do you know how thrilled my folks will be to see her? It's been over ten years. And Spritle, he was just a kid the last time she saw him."

"Greg, I can see right through you. The only reason you invited her is because you want her there. You don't give a damn about your folks or your brother. It's all about you. Always has been, always will be," she spat. "Self-involved jerk."

" _Honey_ , if anyone has the corner marketed on self-involvement, it's you. Victoria Kingston-Racer?" He laughed. "Do you know how pretentious that sounds?"

"It's the name I'm going by now. Get used to it."

"I really don't care what the hell name you call yourself as long as the word _ex-wife_ is included somewhere in it!"

"Oh don't worry it will. You'll be getting your wish very soon, Greg. But, remember what they say about wishes coming true. You just might live to regret it."

His voice was cruel and cold. "Regret it? The only thing I regret is letting myself get mixed up with you. Marrying you was absolutely _the_ single worst thing I have ever done. If it wasn't for the kids I'd have split years ago. They're the only reason I've stuck around as long as I have. And one other thing, when I do leave I'm taking them with me."

"Over my dead body! I'm their mother and the courts will award them to me. They always do."

"Not this time, _sweetheart_. I know people who will see to it that things go my way. I've got the name, and the power; they'll see to it that I get custody. You just better not push me too far because if you do, I'll make sure that you never see Gregory and Stephanie again."

Her eyes widened. "You wouldn't do that!"

"Try me."

"You vindictive bastard," she hissed. "Your adoring fans should only know the kind of man you really are!"

"Well, what do you expect after being married to a nagging shrew all these years? You would make Ghandi want to go on a killing spree."

"I hate you," she said, pushing past him. She went in the bedroom and slammed the door. "Rotten son of a bitch... " Tears formed at the corners of her eyes as the tough veneer started to crack. "How did this happen? When did the hating start?" She lay down on the bed, her tears now flowing. "He threatened to take my children. He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't take my babies away from me," she sobbed.

\---

Speed stood, fists clenched, in the middle of the living room. He took a couple of deep breaths to try to calm the rage that still burned hot inside him. "I don't know why I even bothered to come home."

With a sigh he headed to the room that he had made into his office and, more recently, his bedroom. "Home sweet home," he said as he undid his tie and flung it to the floor. His head was throbbing. "Why do I drink Scotch? It always gives me a headache." Not only that, but he didn't particularly care for the taste of it either. Yet for some reason it was one of his drinks of choice when he was upset about something. He had never been much of a drinker. But lately it seemed he was stopping at the bar with more and more frequency; anything to avoid having to deal with his wife.

He removed his jacket and that too ended up on the floor. "I'm so tired of all of this." With a swing of his foot, he kicked his computer chair and it went flying across the room, hitting the wall hard enough to knock a picture off of it. He picked it up and stared at it. Smiling back at him was a young, happy couple. The youthful man's arms encircled the woman, coming to rest on her swollen belly. Her head was tilted up, looking at him with a smile of adoration. "Was it really ever like that between us?"

_  
**Flashback**  
_

_The Mach Five roared around the track, Speed grinned as he passed Sparky who was timing him with a stopwatch. "Betcha I beat my last record!" he exclaimed._

_"You sure as heck did!" the mechanic replied into his headset. "This is gonna make Pops' day for sure."_

_"How 'bout I do a couple more laps and really make him happy?"_

_"Nah. I think you'd better pull into the pits," Sparky told him._

_"Why? I was just starting to have fun!" Speed said, doing his best little boy whine._

_"Because, Speedy, you've got a visitor," Sparky said._

_A female voice came over the radio. "Hey baby..."_

_"Oh, hot mama! I'll be right there!"_

_He finished his lap. A very pregnant young woman was waiting for him. She bent over the cockpit and kissed him. "How's my handsome husband feeling today?"_

_"Hmmm... Wonderful, now that you're here." Instead of doing his usual vault out of the car, he opened the door and stepped out. "Lemme get this thing off." He removed his racing helmet and tossed it in the car. "What are you doing here? I thought you had a doctor's appointment."_

_"I did, this morning. I missed you and decided to bring you lunch," she explained._

_"Groovy, I'm starved! Let's go find a nice, quiet spot to sit."_

_They held hands and lazily strolled away from the noise of the track, going behind it where a stand of old oaks stood majestically. They picked the tallest one for their picnic. "C'mere, honey, let me help you." Gently, he eased her down into a sitting position._

_"Thanks, darling," she said._

_He smiled. "So, what did the doctor say?"_

_"Everything is perfect. The baby is just the right size and is very active." She smiled. "Six more weeks and you're gonna be a daddy!" She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. "Feel that? He's kicking like crazy!"_

_"You mean **she** ," Speed said. He'd made no secret of his desire for a daughter. "My little ballerina is dancing in her mommy's belly. I can't wait for her to be born."_

_"He could be a hyperactive little guy, like his Daddy. Gregory Racer, Jr. does have a nice ring to it," she said. He shrugged. "Honey, you know there's just as much chance of us having a boy as having a girl. Would it disappoint you if we did have a boy?" she asked._

_"Aw, hell no. Boy or girl, I'll be thrilled because it will be our child. **Our** child! Can you believe it?" He gazed into her amber eyes. "Do you know how much I love you?"_

_She giggled. "No. How much?"_

_"This much," he whispered as he lowered her to the ground and kissed her forgetting all about lunch.  
_  
 _  
 **End Flashback**  
_

Speed hung the picture back on the wall, straightening it. "Vicky... " His voice was soft. "I've really made a mess of things."

Overcome by guilt, he walked down the hall to the master bedroom. The door was open half way. Victoria was sitting cross-legged on the bed, nose buried in legal documents. Her face was red and puffy from crying. She saw him out of the corner of her eye. In a weary voice she asked, "What do you want?"

"Vic... I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry for what I said before about the kids. I'd never do that to you. We'll work out something with the custody arrangement."

"Whatever Greg." He took a step towards her. She shook her head. "No."

"Fine." He left and went back to his office. "Nobody can say that I didn't try." With a long, defeated sigh he opened the sleeper sofa and readied himself for bed. "How long has it been since we slept together?" he wondered as he prepared to face yet another night alone.


	4. Chapter 4

"Well this certainly is a tony neighborhood," Trixie said as she drove down the main road of the gated community. The homes were large and of varying designs. They all had perfectly manicured lawns that were obviously professionally landscaped. "McMansions... Wow. I never figured Speed to be the yuppie type."

She glanced down at the directions on the passenger seat. "Left on Primrose... " She made a quick left, then two blocks later a right, finally making another left on Briarwood Lane, Speed's street. The first thing she noticed is that the homes were set farther back from the street on larger property. They also were of a more traditional design. "This looks more like the type of neighborhood where Speed would live," she said. She drove slowly down the street until she found the address, 555. It was a large Cape Cod style home. Two children, a boy and a girl, chased each other across the lawn.

The driveway was long and even though there were cars pulled in, there was enough room for her. "No, I think I'm better off on the street. Just in case things get ugly and I have to make a quick getaway," she said with a crooked smile."Bring your swimsuit he told me when we spoke the other day. Oh, I don't think so! The last thing I need is his wife giving me the evil eye for daring to wear a bathing suit in front of her husband."

She stepped from the car and walked across the street towards the house. The girl stopped short when she saw her. "Another guest!" she exclaimed gleefully as she ran towards Trixie. The boy followed close behind. "You're here for the barbecue, right?"

"Of course she is, dummy," the boy said.

"Shut up, Gregory!"

Trixie nodded. "Yes I'm here for the barbecue."

"Told you she was, Stephanie," Gregory said.

Stephanie stuck her tongue at him. Trixie had to smile. They were adorable. Gregory looked amazingly like his father, with hair just a shade lighter and the same expressive blue eyes. The little girl, who was the younger of the two, favored her mother. She had dark blond hair, streaked lighter from the sun and worn in pigtails tied with red bows. Her eyes were an exquisite shade of amber. She would be quite a beauty when she was older.

"What's your name?" Stephanie asked.

"Trixie."

"I'm Stephanie," the little girl said.

"I'm pleased to you meet you, Stephanie."

Gregory's eyes widened. "Are you the Trixie who used to spot for my dad?"

"One and the same," Trixie responded.

"Wow! I bet you got some really cool stories to tell us about Dad's racing days."

Trixie smiled. "I've got a few."

Stephanie took hold of her hand. "Daddy's gonna be so happy to see you! And Grandma and Grandpops too!" She led her around the house to the back yard. Gregory walked next to them. Every once in a while he would glance up at Trixie in awe.

When they got to the back fence Stephanie let go of Trixie's hand and ran ahead. "Daddy! Daddy! Look who's here!"

Trixie could feel her face reddening. The last thing she wanted was to have attention drawn to her. "Well I've got no choice now... " She took a deep breath and walked through the gate.

Speed's eyes lit up when he saw her. "Trix, you made it!" he said; giving her a big hug. Her heart pounded as memories flooded her mind...the way it felt to be in his arms. He quickly released her from the embrace, a huge grin on his face. "This is great. C'mon over and see the folks. You want something to drink? Eat? We've got a pool. Did you bring your bathing suit?" He was rambling, something he did whenever he was nervous or excited.

Trixie nodded and followed him onto the patio. Mom and Pops Racer sat at a round umbrella table with a couple about their age. At another table, Janine Trotter, Lily Marker-Rose and Twinkle Banks were deep in conversation. Sparky stood talking to a stout young man with brown hair. Spritle? There were a few other men and women she didn't know. Was the man wearing a Hawaiian print shirt and Bermuda shorts Inspector Detector?

Speed's hand rested lightly on her arm as he led her to the group. His parents were so engrossed in their conversation with the other couple that they didn't see her come in. "Mom, Pops... Look who's here!"

"Oh my God, Trixie!" Mom exclaimed rising to her feet and grasping her hands in hers. "I'm so happy to see you!" She turned to her son. "Greg, is this the surprise you said you had for us?"

"Yep. I knew you'd be thrilled," he said.

"Thrilled is an understatement!"

Pops smiled broadly. "Well, well the prettiest member of the team has finally come home!" To her surprise, he wrapped his huge arms around her. "We missed you, sweetie."

"I missed you too," Trixie said after he released her. She was happy that Speed's parents appeared to be in good health. Mom was as attractive as ever. A bit older, but still looking younger than her years. Pops had gone completely gray, and had a few more wrinkles. Glancing at Speed she noticed just the tiniest beginnings of gray in his hair, at the temples. She realized, again, just how much time had gone by since they broke up.

He introduced her to the other couple, Myra and Burt Kingston, Victoria's parents. Speed then led her around and introduced her to the rest of the guests who were either his or Victoria's co-workers or neighbors. Then, he took her over to see a very familiar guest. "Of course, you remember this guy with the bony knees," Speed said, referring to Inspector Detector, who insisted that Trixie call him Dan.

Gregory and Stephanie, along with another boy about Gregory's age, were running about the yard. "I see you already met the monsters," he said.

"Yes. Speed, your children are beautiful."

Speed grinned, fatherly pride clearly evident on is face. "They sure are. Only don't let Gregory hear you say that. He's going through this phase where he hates anything girly, especially girls. His mom excepted, of course. And most of the times, his sister. I don't get the hating girls thing at all. I always loved girls."

Trixie laughed, she knew that all too well. "So, how old are they?"

"Gregory is nine. He'll be ten in two weeks. He's driving us crazy because to him, ten is practically a teenager."

"Well, he will be one before you know it."

Speed groaned. "Don't remind me. He's growing up too fast as it is. Now Stephanie, she's only six."

"And Daddy's little girl I bet," Trixie said.

"Uh huh. Apple of my eye, all that stuff."

"She's very pretty," Trixie remarked.

"I know and it's something that worries me. How am I gonna keep the boys away from her?"

\---

After making the rounds of the guests, he brought Trixie over to where the girls, now joined by Sparky and Lily's husband Gary, were sitting.

"Trixie," Lily said. "It so wonderful to see you again!"

Janine hugged her. Sparky kissed her on the mouth, which caught her by surprise. They bombarded her with so many questions it was impossible to answer them.

"Guys," Speed said, "cool it. Let the woman relax and have a drink first." He shrugged, smiling. "There's a little bar set up by the pool. Help yourself."

"Thanks."

He suddenly rose. "I think I want a beer. Been drinking Coke all day. It's about time I had a real drink."

They walked over to the bar where Spritle Racer, now a strapping young man, drank a beer with another young man and a pretty blond girl.

"Trixie, wow it's been ages!" His voice was gruff, like Pops'. He motioned to his friends. "You remember Delicia Lamster and Gizmo Zoomer?"

"Of course I do!" Trixie said. Delicia had grown into a beautiful young woman. Gizmo was also quite handsome. "I can't believe how you all have grown up!"

"Yeah, kids'll do that stuff," Speed said glancing at his children. His expression could best be described as wistful.

\---

"Seems like old times," Speed said smiling at the group gathered around the table, "seeing everyone back together again." He took a long sip of his beer. "We don't get the chance much these days."

"Sure don't," Sparky agreed. "With you working those crazy hours and me traveling the racing circuit with Pops and the rest of the team, who's got the time? Not to mention Lily and her family moved to Florida. This is a rare day indeed!"

"It is nice," Trixie said. "I didn't realize how much I missed all of you."

"We've missed you too, Trixie," Janine said.

"Speaking of missing," Sparky said, "Where's Vicky? I saw her when I first got here and then she disappeared."

"She's in the house preparing the food. Let me go get her." Speed went in and came out a few minutes later with a smiling Victoria.

"I'm sorry for hiding away in the kitchen. But, you know how I get when I start with one of my crazy recipes. You guys are going to love this one. Guaranteed." She took a seat at the table. "I've got a few minutes. Honey," she said to Speed, "would you mind getting me a glass of wine?"

"Of course not." He bent down and kissed her. "Anything for you, baby."

Trixie watched the scene feeling confused. The two were practically at each other's throats the other night. Now they were behaving like lovebirds. " _Must've had a fight the night I saw them._ "

Victoria was especially sweet to her. "Trixie, I am so glad you could make it today. I was just telling Greg the other day that he doesn't see enough of his old friends from his racing days."

"I'm glad I could make it too, Victoria."

"Vicky. Please call me Vicky. All my friends do," she said; winking.

"Okay... Vicky." Trixie was even more befuddled. _"Maybe she's on tranquilizers or something."_

Speed brought Victoria's drink back, along with another beer for himself. He sat next to his wife, his hand on her knee. Every once in a while Victoria would turn to her and smile. It made Trixie very uncomfortable. After about twenty minutes Victoria excused herself. "I'd better get back to cooking. I don't want the food to burn." She smiled at everyone, again winking at Trixie before heading to the back door.

Once in her kitchen she looked out the window. "Everyone is out there having such a good time." She shook her head. "Such a happy scene. They think that Greg and I are so much in love. Well, wouldn't the party guests be shocked to find out that we're separated?"


	5. Chapter 5

Trixie sat at the picnic table with her old friends. It was wonderful catching up with them. Janine was racing on the Go Team and had become the star driver. Lily, Gary and their son, Jared, had moved to the west coast of Florida where they ran a large, tropical nursery. Twinkle's circus was touring the country. She had also done stunt work in a few movies and had become famous in her own right. Sparky was still with the Go Team, he was the head mechanic and oversaw the pit crew. Spritle had gotten a football scholarship. He had majored in computer science and graduated in the top five percent of his class. "And I'm also a damn fine line backer," he joked. He and Delicia were dating, though not seriously. Delicia also had just graduated from college; attaining a degree in art. Gizmo worked with his father and was also doing well.

Then, there was Speed. Trixie really had no clue as to what he was doing, except that it involved Inspector Detector. She wanted desperately to know more about his life in the past ten years. Right now though, he was at the grill cooking hamburgers and hot dogs with Pops. The two were laughing. She smiled as she watched them. It seemed as if Speed and his father had grown closer over the years. _"I guess it shouldn't be a surprise,"_ she thought. _"Speed's a grown man with a wife, children and a house in suburbia. They have a lot in common now."_

He looked over at her and winked. She felt the color rise in her face. He noticed it and grinned. He said something to Pops who nodded; then he walked back to her. "Pops is always trying to teach me the fine art of barbecuing. If it's not done his way, it's not the right way." He chuckled. "I humor him. It makes him happy."

"It's nice to see you and Pops getting along so well."

"Yeah. When I got married and the kids came along, things got better between us. Oh, we still have our moments, but mostly we have a good relationship these days." He grinned as he watched Pops who was now showing the children how to flip a hamburger.

"He sure loves his grandkids," Trixie said.

"That he does," Speed agreed. "So, can I get you anything else? Refill your drink? Get you another appetizer?"

"No thanks I'm fine. What I would like is to hear all about you, what you've been doing since we last saw each other."

Speed laughed as he motioned towards his offspring. "Besides the obvious, you mean?"

"Yes," she also laughed, "besides the obvious."

"Well honestly, I haven't really been doing anything all that exciting. For about the past four years Dan Detector and I have worked together at the United States branch of Interpol. I'm the Official US Liaison for the agency."

"What exactly does the Official US Liaison do?"

"I'm the guy who they call in to arrange meetings between Interpol and other agencies in touchy situations. I kinda do all the dirty work."

"I suppose that could get nasty," she said.

Speed shrugged. "Not really. I'm sure it sounds all very mysterious and stuff, but it's not. It's more public relations than anything else."

"Public relations is something I always thought you'd be good at," she said.

"That's what Dan said when he offered me the job. Which is good because I had no idea what I was going to do after I quit racing."

Trixie noticed that there was suddenly a pained expression on his face as if quitting racing wasn't his idea.

_  
**Flashback**  
_

_"The cars are heading for the final lap," the excited announcer exclaimed. "Speed Racer is in the lead and the rookie sensation, Jet Swift, is closing in fast!"_

_"Swift is fearless," his partner said. "Much like Speed in his early days."_

_"I think he might be a bit more reckless than Speed was. Oh oh! He just bumped the Mach Five. I think Jet is going to find out just what happens when you get in the face of the defending World Champion!"_

_"Right on that one, Doug. Speed gave it right back to him. Swift isn't letting up, though."_

_"Swift is going awfully fast into the first turn. If he's not careful, Ron, he'll spin out."_

_The silver car continued trying to pass the Mach Five, it bumped and Speed bumped back. Then, it did just as the announcer predicted, it went into a spin. Speed tried to avoid him but couldn't. The Mach Five spun and hit the wall. Jet's car continued its out of control journey until it too slammed into the wall, though at a much greater velocity._

_"Wow!" Doug exclaimed. "That was some crash! It looks like both cars are out of the race. The Mach Five doesn't seem to be too badly damaged but Jet Swift's car, the Quicksilver, is completely wrecked."_

_\---_

_"Oh man..." Speed said as he removed his helmet. He reached his right hand up to his pounding forehead and felt blood. He managed to open his seat belt and slowly stepped from the car. In addition to his head injury, his left hand was throbbing._

_Sparky and the rest of the team ran up to him. "You all right?" Sparky asked._

_"Just shaken up. I'll be okay." Speed glared at what was once Jet Swift's car. "Damn rookie."_

_Sparky took the helmet from the ground where it had been dropped it and noticed a crack in the front. Blood dripped from Speed's forehead. "You got one helluva bruise there, buddy. I think maybe you should get it looked at."_

_"I do feel a bit woozy and my left hand is killing me, I can hardly move it."_

_"They're sending over a couple of ambulances," Pop said. "You get your ass in one of them and get to the hospital."_

_Speed was about to argue, but decided his father was right. His head was spinning and he was sure that he'd broken his wrist._

_"Geez, look at that! " Sparky said, motioning towards Swift. Paramedics had arrived and were doing CPR on the young man. "That doesn't look good."_

_Speed looked over and then quickly turned away, he didn't want to see anymore. "Where the hell's that ambulance?"_

_\---_

_In the emergency room of the local hospital, Speed had undergone a CT scan. His arm was in cast and he had been given a sedative for the pain. "So what's the verdict, Doc?" he asked._

_The doctor smiled. "You're a very lucky young man. You already know that your wrist is broken. It will be in a cast for six weeks. The CT scan results show that you've incurred a mild concussion. We're going to keep you overnight for observation, just in case. But I think you should be fine. A couple of week's rest and you'll be as good as new."_

_Pops breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the Lord for that."_

_"Where are Vicky and the kids?"_

_"Your mother's with the kids. Vicky is very upset, naturally. I told her to calm down before she comes in to see you."_

_"She's here?" Speed jumped off the examining table and quickly grabbed hold of it. "Whoa! That sedative gave me a head rush!"_

_The doctor helped him back on to the table. "Mr. Racer, please don't do that again. We'll have someone bring your wife in to see you."_

_Within minutes Vicky was brought into his cubicle. As soon as she saw him she burst into tears. "Oh Greg, I was so worried about you... When I saw that crash on the TV I had to do everything not to fall apart in front of the children."_

_Speed held her in his arms. "I'm fine, honey. Just a bump on the head and a fractured wrist. A few weeks rest and I'll be fine and ready to race again."_

_Vicky pulled back. "You're going to race after what happened today? After that poor kid who hit you got killed? I can't believe it!"_

_"Vic, I'm a professional racer, getting into wrecks is one of the hazards of the job."_

_"Then find a different job!"_

_Speed shook his head. "You can't be serious."_

_"I'm most certainly am," she said. "You have a family who depends on you. What about the children? If something happens to you they won't have a father. Don't you realize that could easily have been you who was killed today?"_

_"But it wasn't me. The doctor said I'm going to be fine."_

_"You're going to be fine **this time** ," Vicky said angrily. "You might not be so lucky the **next time**."_

_Speed rolled his eyes. "We talked about this before. When you agreed to marry me you also agreed to accept my vocation. You said you understood the dangers that came with racing. You certainly didn't mind the money that also came with those dangers."_

_Vicky looked down. He was right; she did love having enough money to buy whatever she wanted for herself and the kids. That money didn't seem very significant now. She returned her gaze to him, her eyes glistening from the tears. "Yes, I admit the money was important. But not as important as your life." Reaching out she took hold of his hand. "I love you, Greg. I can't bear the thought of losing you."_

_He squeezed her hand tight in return. "I love you, too, and I love our children more than anything. You know I'd never, ever want to do anything to hurt you."_

_"Then please, at least think about what I'm saying. Think about your priorities, Greg. What's the most important thing to you?"_

_A nurse approached them. "Mr. Racer, your room is ready."_

_"Okay." He pulled Vicky down to him and kissed her. "See you tomorrow."_

_She nodded. "First thing. And remember Greg, priorities..."_

_\---_

_"A press conference?" Vicky asked the next morning. She walked alongside his wheelchair which was being pushed to the exit doors by a nurse._

_"Yeah. With all that happened yesterday, I have a feeling they're going to have some questions for me," Speed explained._

_"I understand. But why did you ask the whole team to be here?"_

_"I have my reasons," was all he would tell her. He thanked the nurse for everything and walked to an area that had been designated for him by the hospital. His family and the team were waiting for him, along with a throng of reporters. Everyone stared at him with curious expressions on their faces._

_"Speed, what's this all about?" Sparky asked._

_"You'll see," he said. He stood in front of the podium; moved closer to the microphone and cleared his throat before starting. "First of all, I'd like thank you for coming on such short notice. I really appreciate it." He grinned broadly, attempting to hide the pain that he was feeling inside. "I guess you're wondering why I called this press conference." He glanced down at the speech he had written earlier. "The events of yesterday I am sure are weighing heavily on all our minds. First, I'd like to extend my sympathies to Jet Swift's family. He was an incredible driver with amazing talent. I'll miss competing against him." He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Jet's tragic death made me realize just how fragile life is. It made me think about what's really important to me." He smiled at Vicky who had been joined by Mom Racer and the children. "Foremost is my family, of course. My beautiful wife Vicky and our children, Gregory and Stephanie. My children are very young; they don't fully understand what I do for a living. They saw yesterday's accident on TV, but didn't comprehend that it was their daddy who was involved, for which I am grateful." He looked down at Gregory who had moved next to him. "I know that it could have been me who was killed. The thought of leaving my children without a father, and my wife without a husband, is devastating to me." He felt tears threatening. "I realize now the importance of my being here for my family. Which is why I have decided, as of today, to retire from racing."_

_There was a collective gasp from the crowd._

_Pops and Sparky exchanged glances. "Did he just say what I think he said?" Sparky asked._

_Overcoming their shock at Speed's announcement, the reporters proceeded to barrage him with questions. He held up his good hand. "I'm sorry, but I have nothing more to say at this time. This press conference is over. Thank you." He proceeded to push his way past the crowd to his car. Vicky, holding Stephanie and dragging Gregory behind her, followed. Mom, Pops, Sparky and the rest of the Go Team were left to stare after them, dumbfounded._

_They settled the kids in the car. Then Speed turned to Vicky. "Happy now?" he asked bitterly._

_  
**End Flashback**  
_

"Speed... " Trixie nudged him.

"Huh?"

"You zoned out for a minute," she said.

"Oh sorry. Beer must've gone to my head," he lied.

"That happens." Trixie smiled as she saw Gregory and Jared excitedly running towards them.

"Hey Dad, can me and Jared go swimming?" Gregory asked.

"Check with your mother," Speed said.

"I already did. She told me to ask you."

Speed made a face. "Figures. Go ahead. Jared, did you asked your folks?"

Jared nodded. "Yeah, Uncle Greg, Mom said it was fine."

Speed looked towards the table. Lily nodded. "Okay. Have fun."

"Oh we will, Dad!" Gregory exclaimed. "Come on, Jared, let's put our swim suits on." The boys went inside to change.

"Daddy... Daddy!" Stephanie ran up to him. "Can I go swimming, too?"

Speed squinted as he looked towards the pool. "I don't think so, honey. The boys are going to swim and you know how rough they play. You might accidentally get hurt."

"Daddy, I'll be careful. I won't get in their way. Please? I already got my bathing suit on. See?" She spread her arms out and whirled around. "An' I got no one to play with 'cause Tina is sick with a cold." She gazed up at him, her soulful eyes started to fill with tears. "Please, Daddy?" she implored him.

Speed sighed; she had him wrapped around her finger. "Oh... Okay. Just please be careful."

Steph's face lit up. "I'll be very careful, Daddy." She hugged him. "I love you!"

Her father beamed. "I love you too, Kitten."

\---

The boys scampered out the back door; racing each other. "Last one in is an ugly doofus!" Gregory gleefully shouted behind him; already in the lead. "You'll never catch me, Jared!"

"Gregory!" Speed called out.

The boy stopped short; annoyance showed on his face and in his voice. "What?"

"Your sister is going swimming, too. I want you to keep an eye on her. And no rough housing."

Gregory rolled his eyes. "Why does she have to go swimming now? She had all afternoon." He crossed his arms. "This sucks!"

"It's her pool just as much as it is yours. And watch your mouth or you won't be allowed to use the pool for a month," Speed said in a very controlled, serious voice.

Gregory studied his father for a moment. He meant business. "All right... " The boy said in resignation. "She just better not ruin our fun." He turned to Jared. "Come on, let's go in the pool." He glared at his sister before he dove into the deep end.

Speed shook his head. "That kid is getting one nasty attitude. I have a feeling it's just going to get worse as he gets older."

"They say adolescence is the toughest time for parents," Trixie noted. "But I think you'll get through it okay."

"I hope so."

"Everything will be fine." She looked over at the pool. The boys were tossing a beach ball back and forth to each other while Stephanie played at the shallow end of the pool. Whenever one of the boys hit the ball out of the pool she would volunteer to run out and get it. The little girl was trying so hard to be part of their fun.

Speed had his back to them and didn't see Gregory throw the ball to Jared. The ball missed its target and, instead, hit Stephanie who was running back towards her end of the pool. She slipped and fell on her knee. At first, she was momentarily stunned. Within seconds, though, she let out a loud, piercing cry.

" **DA-DEEEEE!** " she wailed.

Speed immediately was on his feet and by her side in a heartbeat. "Stephie, what happened honey?" he asked, holding the sobbing child in his arms.

"Gregory... sniff... he threw the ball and hit... sob... hit me. He did it on purpose!"

Speed glowered at his son who was staring at the commotion. "Gregory, out of the pool. _**NOW!**_ "

"Why? I didn't do anything wrong!" the boy said.

"Get out now or do I have to go in and drag you out?" Speed's anger was ready to explode. The boy complied. "You just go sit on that chair over there," he motioned to one of the poolside loungers, "and don't even _think_ of moving until I get back."

Gregory nodded fearfully. "Yes, sir."

He turned his attention back to Stephanie. "C'mon sweetheart, Daddy'll patch up your knee." He took the crying child by the hand.

"Speed, wait!" Trixie called.

He didn't stop. "Not now, Trix," he said sharply. "I've got to take care of my daughter."

Trixie watched him go into the house. She couldn't understand why he was so curt. "There was no reason to be rude me."

Lily strode up to her. "Don't mind him, Trixie. When your child is hurt it tends to make you a little crazy. I bet he'll apologize when he comes back."

\---

Speed opened the door and let Stephanie in ahead of him. Her tears had subsided for the most part. But the minute she saw her mother they started anew. "Mommy!" she cried as she ran to her.

Victoria stared down at her daughter's bloodied knee. "What happened, baby?"

"She had a little accident by the pool. I'll take care of it," Speed said.

"Greg," Victoria said, "how did that happen? You should have been watching her."

"Vic, kids fall and get hurt all the time. It's a fact of life. I'll clean out her cut and bandage it. Before you know it she'll be playing again like it never happened. It's not a big deal, really."

"Still," her tone was accusatory, "you're her father and you should have been watching her. Why weren't you?"

"Don't start, Vicky," Speed warned.

Stephanie pulled on his shirt. "Daddy, my knee..."

"Sorry, Kitten. Let's go in the bathroom and fix you up."

"I'll do it," Victoria said.

"No, you just keep on doing whatever the hell it is you're doing in here. I've got the situation under control."

"I'll bet you do," she muttered.

\---

"Sorry for snapping at you before, Trixie," Speed apologized as he rejoined the group at the table. "I just kinda freak out when one of my kids gets hurt."

"It's okay. Not having a child of my own it's hard to imagine how it must feel."

"It's difficult to explain. I never realized the depth of love you can have for someone. When you have a kid, you realize they're a part of you and you just want to do everything you can to protect them. The love you feel is visceral. Like I said, it's hard to explain," Speed told her.

"I understand, Speed," she said.

"So, Dr. Racer, how's the patient doing"?" Sparky asked.

"I think she's going to live," Speed joked, smiling as Stephanie kicked the beach ball around the backyard. "As for her brother," he motioned towards Gregory who sat sullenly in the lounge chair, "I think he's stewed long enough. It's time I had a talk with him."

"Speed," Trixie said. "It was an accident. That's what I was trying to tell you before. Gregory threw the ball to Jared, but missed. It hit Stephanie and she fell. She didn't even see it because it hit her from behind."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

He sighed. "I guess I should let the poor kid out of solitary, then."

Trixie watched him as he went over to Gregory, pulled a chair up next to him and spoke softly. The child nodded and slowly a smile broke over his face. He looked at Trixie and mouthed the words, _Thank you_. She winked and he winked back.

\---

"Everybody ready for the eats?" Pops Racer asked.

"Oh yeah, I'm starved!" Spritle exclaimed.

"When aren't you starved?" Speed teased, much to everyone's amusement.

Gregory rushed out of the house after changing into his clothes. "Hey Dad, Mom said she needs you to help her with something!"

"Tell her I'll be there in a couple of minutes," Speed said. The boy didn't answer as he was already half way across the yard.

A few minutes later, Victoria called out the window, "Greg! I sent Gregory out to get you! Please come in and help me!"

Speed rolled his eyes. "Never a moment's peace," he said; rising from his chair.

" **Greg!** " she shrilly called out again.

"His master's voice," Sparky said, chuckling.

Speed shot him a look and walked towards the house very slowly, almost as if he was on a death march.

\---

"Greg, I really don't appreciate having to call you over and over. Didn't our son tell you that I needed you?"

"Yes he did and I was busy. I didn't think the world would come to an end because I took a few extra minutes."

"Oh yes, I'm sure you were _very_ busy. So busy that you ignored your own child's safety. I know it's hard, being in the presence of the your beloved Trixie and having to actually care for the children you helped create. It must have been so annoying when Stephanie fell and you had to leave your sainted ex-girlfriend to tend to her needs."

"Vicky, cut the crap! My children come before anyone and you know it!"

"Really? I find that hard to believe. It seems that there is someone who comes before anyone else. She's been on your mind ever since the day she left. I've had to live in her shadow all these years Greg, and I'm sick of it!"

"Like I said the other night, you're delusional. Trixie is an old friend. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"You can tell me a million times and I still won't believe you. You practically have a shrine to her in your trophy case."

"Vic, she was on the team when I won some of those trophies. It's natural that she'd be in the pictures and included in the memorabilia. What do you want me to do, black out her face with Magic Marker on every single photo?"

"That would be a start."

"There's no reasoning with you," Speed said, disgusted. "I just hope you don't act this way at the mediator's on Tuesday."

"The mediator's... What a joke! You really think a mediator is going to help? Please." She turned back to the kitchen counter and started hammering chicken cutlets with a wooden mallet. "I just want this crap to be over with. I want to take my children and get on with my life."

" _Our_ children," Speed said; eyes narrowed. "They are just as much mine as they are yours and I have just as much right to custody of them as you."

"Ha! After what happened to Stephanie today I've got my doubts. You think a judge is going to like hearing how you were negligent and let your daughter fall and get hurt? You think a judge is going to award custody to a man who would live in sin with another woman?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I wouldn't be living with anyone!" Speed exclaimed.

"Why not?" Victoria said. "You lived with Trixie before we met, it's not much of a stretch to think you would live with her again after we split up."

"The woman is only here for a couple of weeks overseeing the sale of her father's property for Pete's sake! She'll be gone after that and I'll probably never see her again!" he said, his voice now rising.

"Liar. I've been watching the two of you. It's so obvious what's going on."

Speed finally exploded. "How man freaking times to do I have to tell you that there is nothing going on between us?" He grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face him. "But if the opportunity came up, you bet your sweet life I'd go for it!"

Victoria pushed him away. "You bastard... Get out of my sight!"

"Gladly!" He turned and stormed into the living room where he almost bumped into Trixie who stood stock still, staring into the kitchen. "Trix... What are you doing here?"

"I... had to use the bathroom. I didn't mean to listen your argument."

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know that I've got to leave." She quickly went out the door.

He followed right behind. "Wait! Let me explain something to you."

"No, I don't want any explanations. I just want to leave."

He grabbed hold of her and pulled her close. "Trixie, please don't go..."

Their lips were scant centimeters apart; Trixie could feel her legs turning to jelly. She needed to get out of there. "I have to leave, Speed."

She pushed away from him; grabbed her purse from the table and ran to her car. It took a couple of deep breaths to quiet her pounding heart. She looked over at the house. It all seemed so normal: The green, manicured lawn, a flag with flowers hanging on one side of the front door, an American flag on the other, a portable basketball hoop by the garage. _"Looks sure can be deceiving. Speed's marriage is a mess. My coming here didn't help matters any."_ She sighed and turned the key in the ignition. Right before she drove off she saw Speed standing at the fence watching her. Their eyes met and Trixie could feel the passion between them.

"It's not my imagination. We're still in love with each other," she whispered.


	6. Chapter 6

Trixie removed her earrings and placed them on the dresser. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror. "I should have never, ever gone to that barbecue. Speed's marriage is in bad enough shape, I didn't need to show up and add fuel to the fire." With a sigh she went into the bathroom. "I think a hot bath would do so much good right now to relax me."

She had filled the tub and was about to get in when her cell phone rang. "What's that old adage about the phone ringing when you're taking a bath?" she wondered. With a towel wrapped around her body, she went back into the bedroom and glanced at the number on the phone noting its familiarity. "Hello?"

"Hey."

"Speed... Or should I call you Greg since that what everyone else calls you?" she said attempting to keep her voice calm.

"You can call me Speed. Kind of brings me back to my youth, you know?"

"You're not old," she said.

"Thanks. But there are days when I feel ancient, like life has passed me by."

"We all feel that way sometimes," she said. "Speed, why are you calling?"

"I just wanted to apologize for arguing in front of you. It was rude," he said.

"You didn't know I was there. It's my fault for not leaving the minute I heard your raised voices," she said.

"No, it was very rude of Vicky and me. We shouldn't have been fighting with company right outside."

"If I hadn't been there you wouldn't have been fighting at all," she noted.

"No. It still would have happened. If not about you it would have been about something else." He paused. "Trix, my marriage is... pretty much over."

"Oh Speed, I'm so sorry to hear that."

"Thanks. But it's all for the best," he said. "Listen, I can't talk long. Gotta tuck the kids into bed." There was another pause. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Uh... I've got to run some errands and then go to the real estate office," she said. The realization that she might run into Vicky made her feel a bit of panic. "Actually, I'm probably just going to call the real estate. It's easier than dealing with all that traffic."

"Yeah traffic is a bitch. Anyway... I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go for lunch or something."

She thought about it for a moment. "I don't know, Speed. If Victoria finds out she'll make your life hell."

"Find out about what? Two old friends having lunch?"

"Speed, I heard what you said, about what you'd do if the opportunity arose," she said.

"Trix, I just said that in the heat of anger. You know how it is, you say the one thing that you know will hurt the person you're arguing with the most. I didn't really mean it."

"Oh, I see," she tried to keep the disappointment from her voice.

"I'm glad you understand. So how about it? I'd really love to catch up on old times with you. Heck, I don't even know what you're up to these days."

Her heart was pounding. She knew it would be the wrong thing to do, but she had to see him one last time if just to get closure on the relationship. "All right, lunch it is."

"Great!" he exclaimed. "I've got to work tomorrow, even though it's Sunday. No rest for the weary! Is noon good for you?"

"Noon is fine. Should I meet you at the Interpol building? I know where it is."

"That would be perfect. See you tomorrow!"

Her cell phone went dark and she placed it on the nightstand. " _I must be insane to do this._ " She went back to her bath, which wasn't quite as relaxing as she originally thought it would be.

\---

Speed sat at his desk thinking about the phone call he had just finished. Just her voice was enough to take his breath away. She was even more beautiful than he remembered, too. With a great sigh, he stood up and stretched. Real life beckoned. "Guess I'd better go say goodnight to the kids."

He went upstairs, going first to Gregory's room. The boy was at the age where he felt he was too old to be tucked in, but he still wanted his parents to come and say goodnight to him. Victoria had already done that. Now it was Speed's turn.

"So, did you have a good time today?" Speed asked.

"Yeah. Havin' Jared back here was so much fun. I wish he didn't have to leave tomorrow."

"I know. But his parents have to get back to Florida to run their nursery. You guys can keep in touch by email and phone. Who knows, maybe someday we can go down there and visit them."

Gregory's eyes lit up. "Really? Could we maybe go to Disneyworld, too?"

"We'll see," Speed said.

He looked at his father with pensive eyes. "Dad, I'm sorry about Stephanie getting hit with the ball. I really didn't mean it."

Speed nodded. "I know. And I'm sorry that I punished you before hearing your side of the story. Your poor old Dad unfortunately often acts before he thinks."

"Like Steph," Gregory said. "Mom said she's got your temperament."

"Yes, I think she might," Speed agreed.

"I'm just glad Aunt Trixie was there and saw what happened."

"Yes, I'm glad, too." He cocked his head to the side. "Aunt Trixie?"

"Stephanie and me decided that's what we should call her, if it's okay with you and Mom."

"It's fine with me and I'm sure your Mom, too." He hoped his son couldn't see the he was lying about Victoria. All she would have to hear is that the kids called his ex-girlfriend Aunt Trixie and she would explode. "I bet Trixie will be very happy to hear that."

"She's gonna come see us again, right? I really like her and she promised to tell me some of the stories about when you raced."

"Oh she did, huh?" He grinned. "I'm sure you'll see her again before she leaves."

"I hope so."

"How about you get to sleep? It's getting late."

"Okay. G'night, Dad."

"Good night, Gregory." Speed ruffled the boy's hair and left feeling a little sad that only a year ago his son didn't think he was too old to kiss his father goodnight.

In the next bedroom, Stephanie was reading a picture book. She smiled when her father came in. "Hi Daddy."

"What's the light still doing on?" Speed asked. "Do you know what time it is?" There was no anger in his voice; there was more amusement than anything else. Even at this tender age, his daughter loved books and would gladly stay up all night reading.

"Sorry. I was just finishing this 'cause it has to go back to the liberry Monday," she explained.

"Stephanie, the word is _library_."

"Oh, that's right. I always say it wrong," she said.

Speed sighed and remembered when she was about three and couldn't pronounce the letter L. She substituted a W instead and he found the way she spoke to be adorable. Those days were long gone. Why did kids have to grow up so fast?

"Did you have fun today, pumpkin?" he asked as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Lots! I got to swim in the pool with Gregory and Jared. And Mommy made really good food. I fell, too. But you made it all better. You should be a doctor, Daddy. Then you could work in a big hospital and Mommy and me could be your nurses. Think of all the patients we could save!"

Speed laughed. His daughter's imagination was in full gear tonight. "I think it might be a little late for your mother or me to make that kind of career change. But you, honey, can be whatever you want."

"Really?" she asked, her gold eyes sparkling. "I can be anything?" Her creative mind marveled at the possibilities. "Could I be a spotter for race car drivers like Aunt Trixie was for you? Gregory said one day he's gonna race and he'll need somebody to spot for him. Could I really do that, Daddy?"

Speed nodded slowly. "Anything you want, Steph," he said softly. "Now... " He took the book from her and closed it. "It's time for you to go to bed."

"But I'm not tired," she protested. She then yawned and saw her father's knowing smile. "Okay, maybe I'm a little tired."

Speed bent down and pulled the covers over her. "Goodnight, Kitten. I love you."

She reached up and kissed him. "I love you too, Daddy."

He sighed and left the room, his thoughts on his children. _"They've got their whole lives ahead of them. I wonder if they know how lucky they are?"_

_\---_

Victoria rinsed a plate and placed it on the top rack of the dishwasher. Methodically, she rinsed another. It was odd, but she actually liked doing it. _"Mindless activity; something I don't get to do very often,_ " she mused. She started at the sound of footsteps padding towards her.

"Need any help?" Speed asked, entering the kitchen.

"No, I can handle it," she said.

He took a dish from the stack on the counter. "Well, I figure that two of us could get it done faster than one."

"I prefer to do it myself, Greg," she said grabbing the dish out of his hand.

"Vicky, this has to stop. We need to talk things out."

She shook her head. "I'm tired of talking to you, Greg. So please, just go in your office, play on the computer, watch porn or whatever you do to pass the time and leave me alone."

"If that's what you want." He walked towards the living room and turned to her. "I don't watch porn," he said before continuing on to his office.

"Sure you don't," she muttered as she glared at his retreating form. She shook her head. _"Although, I wouldn't be surprised if what you do consider to be porn consists of watching a continual loop of Trixie climbing in and out of her helicopter."_

She finished loading the dishwasher and cleaned the counter. Not wanting to retire to bed just yet, she dusted the wall shelf, being careful not to break any of the decorative plates and mementos. Her hand brushed against a seashell. Gingerly, she picked it up, a sad smile on her face.

_**Flashback** _

_Vicky Kingston ate her salad while she read the Real Estate Exam Study Guide. It was her lunch hour. She didn't mind answering the phone or seeing to clients even though it was her time and she wasn't on the clock. **"As long as can I get my study time in."** The bell above the door rang, signaling a customer. She looked up and found herself face to face with a very handsome, young man._

_"May I help you?" she asked._

_"Uh yeah, I'm hoping you can." He noticed the half-eaten salad and open book on her desk. "You're on lunch. I'm sorry. I could come back later."  
_

_"Oh no, that's okay." Vicky said brightly. "I can eat my lunch and talk to a client at the same time." She smiled. "Do you have an appointment?"_

_The young man grinned sheepishly. "Actually, I don't."_

_"That's no problem. I just need some information from you and then I'll set you up with an agent."_

_"Sure," the young man said, his blue eyes twinkling._

_She pulled out a clipboard. "Name?"_

_"Sp... Gregory Racer."_

_"Are you looking to buy or sell?"_

_He pursed his lips. "Buy, I think. Or maybe rent. I'm not sure."_

_"Well," she said, "If you want my opinion, you're much better off buying than renting. Just the savings on taxes alone would make it worth your while."_

_He pondered her words. "I see... Well, thanks for the information, I'll definitely consider it Ms... " He glanced down at the name plate on her desk. "...Kingston."_

_"Anytime. Now... What made you decide to choose Superior Real Estate?"_

_He shrugged. "I figured with a name like that you would probably have superior quality."_

_She smiled. "Really?"_

_He rubbed the back of his neck. "No, not really... Actually, yours was the first real estate office I came across."_

_"Oh!" She chuckled. "Honesty. I like that in a man." She quickly realized what she had just said and tried to cover it up. "I mean, I think honesty is very important in a business relationship."_

_"Business relationship, huh?" He leaned in towards her. "I like honesty in my relationships, too. Business or otherwise."_

_"Uh yes... " She rose from her chair, her face burning. "Let me see if I can get you in to see one of the agents, Mr. Racer." She walked, a little too quickly, through the reception area and nearly tripped. She thought she was going to die of embarrassment when she heard an amused chortle coming from behind her._

_A few minutes later she returned with one of the agents. He extended his hand and introduced himself. "Come right this way, Mr. Racer." Gregory Racer winked at her and followed the man into his office._

_Half an hour later, he left with the agent. They were gone all afternoon. Vicky was just getting ready to leave when they returned. "Wow, you guys were gone a long time!"_

_The agent smiled. "Greg here is a very discriminating man. He wanted to find just the right home."_

_"And did he?" Vicky asked._

_"Yes, he did. A beautiful little two bedroom, one and a half bath cottage on a quiet street not far from town." He smiled, probably thinking more about his commission than anything else. "Greg, why don't you have a seat while I finish up the contract?"_

_"Sure." He sat in the chair closest to Vicky's desk. "I guess you're leaving now, right?" he asked, noting that her computer was turned off and her tote bag was on her desk._

_She shrugged. "Not yet. I'm going to wait until Jon draws up your contract so I can have it all ready for the morning. You must be very excited."_

_He nodded. "I am and little scared also. Me? A homeowner? I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of responsibility."_

_She laughed. "They all say that. You'll do fine, Mr. Racer."_

_"Please... Call me Greg," he said._

_"Okay, if you'll call me Vicky."_

_He nodded. "I like the name Vicky, it's very pretty. Um... I don't mean to sound forward or anything." His voice was soft, almost shy. "But I was wondering if maybe you'd like to have dinner with me tonight to celebrate? I know it's kinda short notice and you don't know me from a hole in the wall."_

_She looked down for a moment, pretending to read her appointment book. "Well, it would seem as if I'm not busy tonight." She looked back up. "Sure, I'd love to have dinner with you. I think I know you well enough."_

_"Thanks! I'll just sign that contract when Jon gets it ready and we can be on our way."_

_As if on cue, Jon motioned the new homeowner into his office. "Be right back," he said with another wink._

_She blushed. Gregory Racer was someone very special and she had a feeling deep inside that he was the man she would one day marry._

_\---_

_"This place is beautiful, Greg and the food... " Vicky beamed as they stood on the outside deck of **Rusty's Inn** , "I've never tasted anything like it!"_

_He nodded. "Yes, it's quaint and kind of out of the way so not many people know about it."_

_"It's a wonder they stay in business."_

_"It's got its core group of regulars who eat here. That's the way the owner likes it. No big crowds, just nice, local folks who know good food when they taste it."_

_Vicky gazed over the deck; the sun was just starting to set over the ocean. It was picturesque. "The sunset is going to be spectacular."_

_"Let's go down to the beach and watch it," he suggested. He took hold of her hand and led her down the wooden path to the nearly deserted shore. "I never get tired of watching this." He bent down to pick up a seashell and placed it in her hand. "A memento of the first date of what I hope will be many more."_

_She gazed at him, the shell clenched in her hand, and nodded. As her mother would say, **"He's a keeper."**_

_The sun slowly fell towards the horizon. Without even thinking, Vicky rested her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her. They stood there until the sun disappeared. It was now dark and the wind had picked up. A shiver went through her. Greg removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. "This should help keep the cold at bay," he said. "And if that doesn't help, maybe this will... " He drew her to him and lightly brushed his lips against hers._

_She pulled back slightly. "Yes," she whispered, "that definitely helped."_

_"Good, because I think I need a little warming up, too." Their lips met again, this time the kiss was deep and full of passion. The shell was still clutched in her hand as she wrapped her arms around him wishing she could stay with him that way forever._

_**End Flashback** _

Victoria sighed. She held the shell up at eye level. _"I wonder who'll get custody of you?"_ With one last inspection of the kitchen, she turned off the lights and retreated to her bedroom; the thought of another night alone in her big, cold bed nearly driving her to tears.


	7. Chapter 7

The early morning quiet was broken by the sound of Speed's alarm clock ringing. Any other day he would groan and set the snooze to let him sleep another fifteen minutes. But, today was not any other day. He arose with a grin of anticipation on his face and practically jumped out of bed. "It's a beautiful day," he remarked, even though thunder roared and the rain fell in heavy sheets against the window.

He went through the suits in his closet, finally setting on a black Armani. _"She was always trying to get me to dress nicer. I bet she loves this!"_ He placed the suit on the closed sofa bed. "Shower, shave and be squeaky clean for my lunch date." He was almost giddy as he strode down the hall to the bathroom. "Oh the weather outside is frightful...But the fire is so delightful..." he sang as he stood under the steaming shower spray. "And since we've no place to go... Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!"

"What's that?" Stephanie asked as she and her brother played video games in the den.

"Sounds like Dad's singin' in the shower," Gregory replied. "Either that or it's the cat next door howling."

Stephanie giggled. "It's Daddy, but he does sound like a cat!"

"He'll never get on American Idol, that's for sure.”

There was another giggle from Stephanie. "Yeah! He's awful!" The little girl glanced towards the bathroom. "Gregory, why is he singing Christmas songs?"

The boy shrugged. "Beats me."

Victoria poked her head in the room. "Breakfast will be ready in five minutes, kids."

"Mommy, why is Daddy singing Christmas music when it's not even close to Christmas?" Stephanie asked.

Her mother shook her head. "I have no idea, Steph. But, I wish he'd stop, the man can't carry a tune for anything." Victoria went back in the kitchen to finish preparing the morning meal. Her husband was up to something and she had a feeling that whatever it was, it involved one Patricia Shimura.

\---

"Where's your father?" Victoria asked Gregory who was the last to sit down for breakfast.

"Shaving. He said he'd be out in a few minutes."

"He's shaving?" Victoria furrowed her eyebrows. "On a Sunday?"

"That's what he told me he was doing," he said.

The lines between Victoria's brows deepened when Speed entered the kitchen wearing one of his best suits and looking as if he was having dinner with royalty instead of just going to work. "It's Sunday. Why are you so dressed up?" she asked suspiciously.

"I've got a big negotiation going on. I've got to arrange meetings between us, the FBI, the CIA and a certain eastern European faction."

"It still doesn't explain the suit, Greg."

"This European group is being very difficult. We need to get the upper hand with them. So Dan figured the suit would be more intimidating. You know, put the fear of God into 'em."

Victoria waved her hand in front of her face. "More like the fear of your cologne. Did you bathe in that junk this morning?"

Speed blushed. "I guess I did use a bit of a heavy hand. My nose is a little stuffy," he lied, "so, I really couldn't smell it when I put it on."

"Well the rest of us sure can," Victoria said.

Gregory laughed. "Hey Dad, I bet they could smell your cologne all the way over in China!"

"Har har, very funny," Speed said. "Eat your breakfast."

"Daddy, I thought perfume was only for girls," Stephanie said.

"It's not perfume it's cologne. Unless it's the junk your grandfather uses, then it's called aftershave. Steph, men like to smell nice just as much as women," he explained.

"Oh." She pondered that thought for a moment. "Daddy, what's the difference between cologne and aftershave?"

"About thirty bucks an ounce," Speed joked.

"Huh?" Stephanie asked, confused.

"Nothing. Finish eating."

He checked his watch; downed his coffee; wiped his face with his napkin and quickly rose from the table. "I gotta go!"

"What time are you going to be home?" Victoria asked.

"I don't know. It depends on how the negotiations go."

"Well, I have an open house today. Your folks said they'd watch the kids until you can pick them up."

"Me?" Speed asked. "Their house is on the way home from the real estate; it's out of my way to drive there."

"I know that, Greg. But I have no idea what time I'm going to get finished with the open house. The people that are having it are extending the hours because they need to sell their home quickly. They're also adamant about not lowering the price. I have a feeling I'm going to be there well into the evening. Believe me, I'd much rather stay home and spend time with my kids."

" _Our_ kids," Speed hissed in low a voice that only Victoria could hear; his eyes cold and dark. " _Remember_ that." Victoria glared at him. He turned away from her; smiled at the children and gave them a quick wave before striding to the door.

"Aren't you going to kiss Mommy goodbye?" Stephanie asked.

Speed froze in his tracks. "Oh, of course," he said, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. He went back to Victoria ; leaned down and quickly kissed her on the cheek. _"Remember,_ " he said pointedly.

Gregory watched him leave then asked his mother, "What did Dad mean by that?"

"By what?"

"He said the word remember."

She shrugged. "Nothing. He just wanted me to remember that he was going to pick you and your sister up later."

"Well duh, you told him to, so how could you forget that?"

"It was just a joke, Gregory," she said. "Now finish up your breakfast and get ready to go to Grandma and Grandpops house." She rose from the table and started clearing it.

Gregory watched her as she angrily muttered to herself. _"Mom and Dad think I don't know what's going on with them. They'd be surprised about how much I know."_

_\---_

The parking lot of the Federal Branch of Interpol building was nearly deserted. Speed flashed his keycard at the sensor of the automated gate and when it lifted he drove through. His designated parking spot was open, of course. He went through the revolving glass door. There was a woman seated at the reception desk. "Good morning, Mr. Racer," she said in a pleasant tone.

Speed smiled at her. For the life of him he couldn't think of her name. "Good morning to you, too." He flashed his pass; she took a cursory glance at it and waved him through.

He was greeted at the elevator by Dan Detector who appraised his attire. "What are you all dressed up for? You know on Sundays you can wear whatever you want."

"I know. I'm in a corporate mood today."

The inspector sniffed. "Is that cologne I smell? Well Greg, I'm flattered. I didn't know you cared," he said in his deadpan manner.

"Very funny. First my son, now you. Is everyone a comedian today?"

"Well, you did OD on whatever it is you're wearing."

The elevator doors opened. "Maybe you should use the other one." Speed nodded towards the elevator across the hall from them. "I wouldn't want to damage your olfactory senses any more than I already have."

Dan laughed and motioned with his hand. "After you."

Speed stepped inside; followed by the Inspector. "I guess I did kind of put too much cologne on this morning," Speed said.

"Just a little. You got a date?" Dan joked.

"No! Of course not!" Speed said a bit too defensively.

"I was just kidding, Greg. Lighten up."

"I know, so was I." Speed forced a smile.

The elevator came to a stop on their floor. "As soon as I hear from the Bureau, we'll set up that conference call," Dan said.

"Any idea when that will be?" Speed asked as they departed the lift and walked down the hall. "Just so I know how much prep time I've got."

"Maybe sometime late this morning, if not early afternoon." Speed made a face. "Don't worry, you'll be home before six tonight."

"That would be a first. Dan, I do have some business I need to take care of around noon. Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours, if that. It's family stuff," Speed said.

"No problem. We can work around it. I can do my part of the negotiations while you're gone." They came to where another hall intersected with theirs. "Talk to you later," Dan turned to the left. Speed went on straight ahead to his own office. He opened the double outer doors into the reception area and was surprised to be greeted by his secretary. "Jill, what are you doing here?"

"I had some work I needed to catch up on, Sunday is the best day to do that, Mr. Racer."

"Oh. Well, I hope you get everything done early enough to enjoy at least part of the day." He said nothing more and went inside his office. _"Don't know why every damn person working under me has to call me Mr. Racer._ " He shook his head. _"It makes me so uncomfortable."_ But, he knew that's how things were done there. The supervisors were always Mr. or Ms. and the support staff was called by their first names. It annoyed him, especially as Jill had nearly seventeen years on him. _"I wonder how she feels to have to call someone who is almost young enough to be her son, Mister?"_

Sitting down on the soft, leather desk chair he turned on his computer. _"Might as well get started. Who knows when these guys will call._ " He had not been working for five minutes when his intercom beeped.

"Yes, Jill?"

"Mr. Racer, you have someone who wishes to see you."

"She's here already?" Speed asked, feeling his heart skip a beat.

"She? No it's a man, Agent Nine."

"Oh," Speed said; a bit crestfallen. "Agent Nine, huh? Well, send him in." He sat back in his chair. _"I wonder what excuse he's got for skipping his family obligations this time? Whatever it is, I'm not going to let him off the hook so easily."_

There was a knock on the door, and then a handsome man in a white suit entered. "Good morning, Greg," he said pleasantly.

Speed was on him instantly. "So, where were you yesterday?"

Rex Racer smiled rather sheepishly. "I was otherwise occupied. I'm sorry I didn't call you."

"Yeah, it would've been nice. The kids were looking forward to seeing their Uncle Rex. Spritle was disappointed you weren't there, of course. I mean it was only his graduation from college. But it's Mom and Pops who concern me most, especially Mom. Whenever you don't show up for family functions she thinks the worst, that you've taken off again."

"She should know I wouldn't do that. My days of running away are over."

"Are they?" Speed asked dubiously.

"Yes. You've got my word on that. I know you find it hard to trust me. But you can, little brother," Rex said.

Speed crossed his arms. "I hope so because I will kick your ass if you even think of running out on us again."

Rex laughed. " _You?_ Kick _my_ ass? Right. You and what army?"

"Don't need an army," Speed joked, "because technically I am your boss and I can fire you."

"You'd have Mom riding your butt if you ever did that."

Speed smiled. "I know, I was just kidding. Seriously, I love you bro and I'm so glad you're back in the fold again."

"Did I really have a choice? Once you started working here I figured it would only be a matter of time before we bumped into each other."

"So you sought me out. I gotta tell you, I was truly shocked to see you sitting at my desk that afternoon. Good thing I have a healthy heart because that might very well have killed me."

"I do have a flare for the dramatic at times, don't I?"

"Dramatic? Hell yeah! I have to admit that it was funny when Mom opened the front door to find you standing there holding a potted plant and grinning like a mad man. It's a good thing she's got a healthy heart, too."

Rex nodded. "It's also a good thing I inherited that healthy heart because if I didn't, I would've dropped dead from shock when Pops told me that he missed me and gave me that huge bear hug."

Speed grinned. "He did miss you. We all missed you."

"Speaking of missing people, what's this I hear about Trixie showing up at the party yesterday?"

"I ran into her earlier in the week and invited her. I wasn't sure if she would actually show. It was nice that she did."

"Mom couldn't stop going on about her," Rex said.

"You spoke to Mom? Why didn't you tell me?"

"You didn't ask," he said wryly; knowing that he had gotten the better of his brother. " I talked to her this morning. I called to apologize for not showing up yesterday. That's when she told me about Trixie. She was so happy to see her." Rex grinned slyly. "She said you were quite happy to see her, too."

"Well, yeah she's an old friend, naturally I'd want to see her."

Rex raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you would. Word of advice little brother, keep your feelings buried deep."

"What feelings?"

"Greg, I can read you like a book. You never got over her leaving you. That, plus your marital problems, make you very susceptible to her right now."

"I'm fine. Trixie and I are just friends. Really."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Rex asked.

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about," Speed said defensively.

"Maybe. But do I need to remind you of what happened the last time you were feeling vulnerable?"

Speed's nod was barely perceptible as he stared out the big Plexiglas window that gave him an incredible view of the city.

_**Flashback** _

_"Do anything exciting this weekend, Greg?" Dan asked as they stood on line in the commissary._

_"You mean besides our golf game Saturday?" Speed said. "I took the kids to the Universal Circus yesterday. Gregory went nuts over the animals. Poor Stephie was petrified of the clowns. She screamed whenever one got within ten yards of her. Twinkle Banks took us on a personal tour of the place afterwards. She introduced Stephanie to one of the clowns who took his make-up off in front of her. It sure helped her get over her fear of them. All in all we had a great time. The show was incredible. I think it might have been the most enjoyable two hours I've spent in a long time. I love the circus."_

_Dan smiled. "Sounds like Dad had as much fun as the kids."_

_"Yeah," he chuckled, "I think I did. It doesn't hurt that Twinkle is very easy on the eyes. It's nice to get attention from a pretty woman once in a while."_

_Dan nodded. "I gather that things still aren't going well with you and Vicky."_

_Speed sighed. "Ever since she bought that damned real estate things between us have been tense. I understand the pressure she's under to make it succeed, but it's really putting a strain on our marriage."_

_"Your situation isn't helped by the fact that she talked you into quitting racing and now you're working at a job that you hate."_

_"I don't hate my job, Dan. It's just that I miss racing, that's all." Speed said. "I'll always miss it."_

_"You ever think of going back?" Dan asked._

_"All the time. But then I remember my family and my obligation to them. I can't risk my not being there for them," Speed said._

_"Lots of men with children race, Greg."_

_"Tell that to my wife," he said bitterly. "I once just mentioned in passing about how nice it would be to race again. She threatened to take the kids and leave."_

_"Would she?"_

_Speed shrugged. "Who knows? I don't want to find out and I'm really too tired of arguing about it. Anyway, she's right. My family comes before anything."_

_"Even your happiness, it would seem," Dan remarked._

_"I'm happy the majority of the time, Dan. My kids... the joy they bring me is indescribable. They make everything, even quitting racing, worth while."_

_"What about Vicky?" The Inspector asked._

_"I'm hoping once things calm down for her that our lives will get back to normal." He slid his tray up to the coffee urn and filled his cup nearly to the brim. "Hmm... Smells good... Anyway, I'm willing to bide my time while she gets this thing off the ground." He smiled. "I do have to admit that I'm damn proud of her."_

_Dan nodded. "As you should be, Greg." He filled his own cup with hot tea. "She's a smart woman."_

_They paid for their beverages, along with a couple of donuts. "Hey there's Jake," Speed noted, motioning his head towards a table where a handsome, dark-skinned young_ _man sat. Jacob Jackson was twenty-five and an expert in linguistics. At nearly seven feet tall he loomed over most other men, especially Speed who checked in at just under five-nine. "My brothers," he said in his deep, booming voice. "How are you today?"_

_"Feeling fine, my man," Speed said, high-fiving him. "I had a great weekend with the kids and also got a chance to do some golfing. Kicked Dan's butt." He turned and grinned wickedly in the Inspector's direction._

_"That's only because I was using my new clubs," Dan said. "They haven't been broken in yet."_

_"Right," Speed remarked, a huge grin still framing his face, "Anything you say, Danny boy."_

_"Humph, you really need to learn to respect your elders, young Gregory." Dan pretended to be offended._

_"Elders?" Jake said. "Both of you are my elders. Dan, you're older than dirt and Greg, Mr. Family Man, the days of your carefree youth are far behind you. Man, you're both old farts!"_

_Speed actually was offended, but he did a good job of hiding it. "Yeah that's right, I'm Mr. Family man and very happy about it. Every night I go home to my beautiful wife and our two wonderful children, who, I must say, worship the ground their Daddy walks on. What do you do, Jake? Go home to that empty apartment of yours, drag yourself down to one of the night clubs, dance with a couple of dozen chicks and choose one of them to spend the night with... " He shook his head, breaking into a smile. "Shoot dude, you've got it made."_

_"That I do, my man, that I do."_

_"Too bad your NBA career never got off the ground because then you'd **really** have it made," Speed said. Jake had gone to Duke University on a basketball scholarship, but a knee injury ended what looked to be a very promising career. Deciding it was best to make lemonade from lemons, he finished college with a Master's Degree in Linguistics. His fluency in six languages landed him a job with Interpol and he often played a crucial role in negotiations. He and Speed made for a formidable team._

_"No biggie. I like what I'd doing now more than I think I ever would have enjoyed the NBA." Speed shook his head in disbelief. "It's true, man. My folks are proud of me and the fact that I actually used my brain to get where I am today."  
_   
_"Oh sure, instead of being a mindless idiot playing in the NBA making sixty million a year," Speed commented. "I know I sure wouldn't opt for that."_

_Jake laughed. "I don't think you have to worry about that happening, unless the NBA decides to start drafting munchkins."_

_"You're a regular riot," Speed said flatly. Dan laughed; he was rewarded with a glare. "No comments from the peanut gallery!"_

_"I didn't say anything," Dan noted._

_"Yeah, but you were gonna."_

_"Speaking of munchkins... " Jacob nodded towards a petite young woman with strawberry-blond hair heading in their direction. "There is a beautiful one coming our way."_

_"I've never seen her around here before. I don't think she works in this branch," Dan commented._

_Speed nodded in appreciation of the young woman's assets. "I'd sure as hell would remember her if she did."_

_She approached the table. "G'day! I'm lookin' for a Mr. Gregory Racer," she said with an Australian accent. "Would one of you blokes happen to be him?"_

_With an embarrassed smile Speed stood, knowing now how Jake must feel as he actually towered over her four foot eleven frame. "That would be me."_

_The young lady thrust out her hand. "Please ta meet ya, mate. I'm Paisley Piper."_

_Speed grasped the proffered hand and shook it, surprised at her strong grip. "I'm very happy to meet you too, Ms. Piper. I don't wish to sound rude, but why where you looking for me?"_

_"The agency transferred me here for the next month to work on a special project with you. Didn't they tell you?"_

_He motioned her to the seat next to him. "No, they didn't. What project?" He quickly looked at Dan who just shrugged._

_"Negotiations with Kapetepek about reconsidering their border policy." Paisley was suddenly all business. "Even with them open for half the year, it's still way too restrictive."_

_"It's their country, they have the right to do whatever they want with their borders," Speed said._

_"Yes, you're right. But, we're hoping that with some mediation with our liaisons they nut out an agreement of some sort," she explained._

_"Ah, so that's where we come in," Speed said. **"Nut out?"** he said to himself amused by her Aussie slang._

_She nodded. "HQ wants us to start working on it this afternoon."_

_"Sure. Do you want me to meet you at your office?"_

_"Actually... I don't have one. They told me I'd be sharing yours."_

_"Figures. I wish that, just **once** , they would inform me of things like this," Speed said in an annoyed voice._

_"Sorry. Wasn't my idea, mate."_

_Speed smiled. "Oh, I know that. It's not your fault that they don't know how to communicate with their employees. I'll make some space for you and have my secretary arrange for them to send up a desk you can use."_

_"Ripper!" she exclaimed as she took his hand in both of hers and squeezed it._

_Speed grinned goofily; he felt very much like a schoolboy. Paisley adjusted her chair; her leg came to rest against his. He gulped. Why did the room suddenly feel so warm? His face was burning. He quickly turned away from her and mumbled introductions to Dan and Jake. The rest of the conversation was a blur. All he could think about was the proximity of her body; the alluring scent of her perfume; her adorable accent and the fact that for the next month they would be sharing an office together. Never mind that she couldn't be a day over twenty, which made him about ten years older than her._

_**End Flashback  
**_  
"Just be careful, all right?" Rex said.

"Huh?"

"What planet were you just on? I said to please be careful when it comes to your past love."

"I will, don't worry."

"You're my little brother; I'll always worry about you. Now, I've got to go catch a flight to London. Duty calls."

Speed smiled. "Take care, Rex. Give me a call tonight if you can, okay?"

"Sure thing. And when you see Trixie later, tell I said _Hi_ ," He winked; opened the door and left.

Speed stared after him. "How did he know I was going to see Trixie today?"


	8. Chapter 8

The elevator stopped at Speed's floor; Trixie quickly took out her compact and checked her make-up. _"Why am I even doing this? I'm acting like a teenager."_ She reminded herself that it had been well over ten years since they had broken up. Ten years in which Speed had fallen in love, married and fathered two children. _"I don't understand how he said he couldn't marry me, yet just months later he married Victoria."_ With a shrug and a sigh she walked down the hall to Speed's office. Jill greeted her with a smile and an offer of a cup of coffee. Trixie returned the smile and declined the coffee.

"Mr. Racer is expecting you," Jill said.

"Thank you."

She found Speed talking on his phone, his back was to her. "No problem, Dan. It's actually a nice surprise... I know, I know... Longer hours during the week. Honestly? I think I prefer that to losing my Sunday... Yep... Okay, enjoy the rest of the day. See ya tomorrow!" He turned his chair around, a smile on his face. At seeing Trixie standing in front of him his smile broadened. "Trix! I didn't know you were here."

"Your secretary sent me in. I guess I should have knocked."

Speed walked around his desk. "Don't be silly. I told her to send you in when you got here. I'm glad you could make it."

"It was nice of you to invite me. I guess we should get going because I know you're busy and probably don't have all that much time."

"I've got plenty of time. Dan just called and said that we're going to hold off our negotiations until tomorrow. None of the sides could agree on a time to meet. So, we've got all afternoon."

"Great! Where do you want to go?" she asked. "I'm game for anywhere. I had a very light breakfast just so I could enjoy a big lunch!"

"Would you mind if we stopped my folks' house first? I don't get to spend as much time with the kids as I'd like and I was thinking that maybe we could bring them with us. That's if you don't mind."

Trixie smiled; she felt a bit relieved that the kids were going to come with them. "Not at all. I'd love to get the chance to get to know them better."

"I know they feel the same way. In fact, Gregory said you mentioned something to him about telling stories from my racing days." Speed raised his right eyebrow. "I'm _very_ interested in hearing them, too."

"Don't worry, I won't say anything too embarrassing,” she teased.

\---  
 _  
_"Nice Beemer," Trixie commented as she slid into the passenger seat. "I'm kind of surprised; I would never have pictured you driving one of these."

Speed shrugged. "Company car. I prefer my two-seater Pops' Motors deluxe sports car. But since I have to pick up the kids I need the back seat."

She watched him as he backed the car out of the spot. There was a distinct feeling of butterflies in her in stomach. _"Just stay calm and keep the conversation light."_

"It's good the rain finally let up," Speed noted. "I was thinking that maybe we could eat at **The Boathouse Restaurant**."

"I remember that place. I'm glad to know it's still there."

"Still there and better than ever. They've got pedal boats on the lake now that you can rent. The kids go nuts over them," he said. "I figured we could eat lunch out on the patio and the kids can get a chance to play while we catch up on old times."

"Sounds good to me."

There was an awkward silence after that. Speed knew he needed to do something to fill the void. "Uh... You want to listen to some music?"

"Sure."

He turned on the CD player, Justin Bieber blasted through the speakers. Speed quickly turned it off. "Sorry," he said blushing. "I forgot that Stephanie put this on the other day. She loves that Bieber kid."

"Really? She's only six. When I was her age I had no interest in music."

"Kids today, even at that age, love this stuff. Me? I can't stand it. Give me some classic rock any day."

Trixie smiled. "Me, too. What about Gregory?"

"Gregory... " Speed sighed shaking his head. "He listens to hip hop. I don't get it. At. All. Vic and I make sure that none of the stuff he buys has obscene lyrics. Of course when he's with his friends who knows what he listens to?"

Trixie nodded. "It's not so easy being a parent."

"That's for sure. I've got the teen years ahead of me and I'm not looking forward to them, especially with Stephanie. I'm dreading about what will happen when she gets interested in boys."

"I remember my parents being upset when I went on my first real date. My dad, especially," Trixie said.

"How did he feel about me?" Speed asked with more than a little curiosity.

"Well... " Trixie spoke slowly, "I think Daddy was a little nervous because you were involved in auto racing. He had this preconceived notion about you having a reputation for playing the field. Once he met you, he really liked you. Although, he wasn't thrilled about our moving in together."

"Neither were my folks. They said that we were making a big mistake and that one day we'd regret it."

Again there was silence as they pondered Mom and Pops Racer's prophetic words. Speed glanced at Trixie. She stared out the window; obviously deep in thought. _"It's too quiet."_ He turned on the radio, this time making sure the CD didn't play.

_\---_

"The old homestead," Speed said as he pulled into his parents' driveway.

"Hasn't changed much," Trixie said, comforted at the familiarity of the place yet noticing the little changes. "Your folks got some landscaping done."

"Yeah. We finally convinced Pops that he's getting too old to do all the lawn care by himself. He wasn't happy about being reminded of his age. But, the man is in his sixties and had a quadruple bypass a couple of years ago. He needs to slow down!"

"He had a bypass operation?" Trixie asked. "I didn't know that. I can't believe it because he looks great."

"Oh, the operation gave him back his life. He was in really poor shape before it. I tell ya, it kinda scared me because his doctor said that from looking at his family's history, that there is a predisposition to heart disease. As soon as I heard that I had a complete check-up."

Trixie paled a bit. Speed seemed way too healthy to have anything wrong with his heart. "And how did it go?"

"Everything was fine. My blood pressure and cholesterol were a bit high, though still in the normal range. The doctor told me to get more exercise and cut out the fatty foods. I'm tryin' to eat better, but it's not easy!" He sighed. "I'm over thirty now and approaching middle age fast, so I need to start taking better care of myself."

"I think we all do," she said.

"Yep." He alighted from the car; went around to her side and held the door open for her. She followed him to the front door. "Anybody home?" Speed called out as he entered the house.

"Daddy!" Stephanie ran up to him. "You're here! Mommy said you weren't going to come and get us until after dinner."

Speed scooped the excited child up in his arms. "They let me out of work early because my homework was correct."

Steph laughed. "You're silly, Daddy! You're a grown-up; you don't have homework!"

"Yeah, your Daddy is silly," he said as he lowered her to the floor; realizing that before long she would be too heavy to pick up. "So, what have you been up to?"

"I was just helping Grandma bake choc'lit chip cookies. Do you want one?"

"Sure! But, first aren't you going to say hi to Trixie?"

She nodded. "Hi, Aunt Trixie."

"Hi sweetie," Trixie said. Her heart melted; she turned to Speed. _"Aunt Trixie?"_ she mouthed. He grinned and shrugged.

"Where's your brother?" Speed asked.

"Helping Grandpops work on his new engine. I was gonna work on it too, but then Grandma asked me to help her with the cookies."

"Your grandma makes the best chocolate chip cookies in the world," Trixie said.

Stephanie nodded. "Yep, an' she taught me how to make them, too!" Taking them each by the hand, she led them into the kitchen. "Remember when you eat them you gotta be careful 'cause they're still hot."

Mom Racer's face lit up when she saw them. "Greg! I didn't think you'd be off work this early. And you brought Trixie with you. What a pleasant surprise!"

Speed kissed his mother on the cheek. "Hi, Mom."

"Grandma, can Daddy and Aunt Trixie have cookies?"

"Of course, dear," Mom said.

Speed was about to take a cookie from the tray when Stephanie admonished him. "Daddy, remember they're hot!"

"Oh, that's right!" Speed carefully removed a cookie from the tray and bit into it. "This is delicious, Steph! I bet one day you'll be as good a baker as your Grandma."

"Yep! An' I'll also be a spotter for Gregory."

"A spotter?" Trixie asked.

"Uh huh. I want to spot for drivers like you used to do, Aunt Trixie. It must be so much fun to drive a helicopter."

"Yes, it's a lot of fun to pilot a helicopter. It's also a lot of hard work."

Steph made a muscle. "I'm not afraid of hard work!"

"I'm sure you're not," Trixie said.

"Speaking of hard work," Speed said. "Why don't we go see how Grandpops and Gregory are making out?"

"Okay!" Steph said.

"After we check on the engine, how'd you like to go to The Boathouse?"

"The Boathouse!" Stephanie jumped up and down in excitement. "Can me and Gregory ride the pedal boats?"

Speed nodded. "Sure! That's the reason why we're going there. You kids can have fun in the boats while Aunt Trixie and I have lunch." He smiled with a look towards his mother knowing that she had already fed the kids their lunch. "Let me just get a cup of coffee and we'll go get your brother." He took a mug from the cabinet and filled it to the brim with the brew. He smiled again, his mother always seemed to have fresh coffee on hand.

Trixie was about to follow them when Mom lightly touched her shoulder. "Let's go in the living room and catch up."

"I'd like that."

Mom led her into the room. "I'll be right back with coffee and cookies, dear."

While she waited for Speed's mother to return Trixie perused the massive wall of pictures in the Racer family living room. She smiled as she noted some photos of her with the team on the wall. She also noticed that there was an abundance of pictures of Speed's children. _"Mom and Pops sure are proud grandparents,"_ she mused. There was also a wedding photo of Speed and Victoria. She sighed. He looked so handsome and Victoria truly made a beautiful bride. There were other pictures of the pair; most of them taken on holidays. All of the photos showed a couple who looked to be deeply in love with each other. _"They seemed very happy. I wonder what went wrong with their marriage?"_ She turned at the sound of footsteps behind her. Mom Racer carried in a tray of coffee, cream and cookies.

After placing the tray on the coffee table, she joined Trixie who was now looking at photos of the kids. "I think sometimes I have way too many photos of my grandchildren. But I can't help it, they're just such beautiful, wonderful children."

"I don't blame you for being proud of them; they're great kids."

"Yes," Mom said with a smile. "Greg and Vicky are doing a splendid job of raising them." She pointed at one photo of Speed in a rocking chair with infant Gregory lying on his shoulder. "I love this one. Father and son both fast asleep. Gregory was only a little over two weeks old when this was taken. Oh, and this one," she motioned to another photo, this time of toddler Stephanie holding a flower out towards Speed, who squatted down to receive it. The expression on his face was one of pure joy and love. "It was Greg's birthday. Stephie picked that flower from the garden and gave it to him. I think that might have been the best present he ever received."

"It's such a sweet photo," Trixie said as she and Mom sat down on the couch. "Stephanie sure loves her daddy."

"She worships the ground he walks on. I think there is a special bond fathers have with their daughters. I know I had one with mine."

"Me, too. I'm sure that Gregory thinks his dad is pretty special, too."

"That boy is so much like his father. He's insisted since he first started talking that he's going to race cars when he grows up. Greg would be thrilled if he did. Vicky... she's dead set against it."

"How come?" Trixie asked.

"She's petrified of him getting in a wreck. That's the reason Speed... Greg... quit. There was a crash, he ended up being not too badly injured but the other driver was killed. Poor Vicky, I couldn't blame how she felt because at the time I pretty much felt the same way. She convinced Greg that retiring from racing would be in the best interests of the family. I don't think, deep inside, he wanted to do that. I'm sure he felt a lot of guilt about the possibility of leaving his children without a father, so he complied."

"I thought it might have been something like that," Trixie said.

"It was a shame, but he made the best of it. Getting that job at Interpol, which pays well, was a smart decision. Even though he sometimes has to work weekends he still manages to make time for the kids. He's such a good father. A bit strict at times, which puts him at odds with Pops." She chuckled. "I find it a bit ironic that Pops thinks Greg's too hard on the kids. I guess he forgets how strict he was with the boys when they were growing up."

"It must be true what they say about the apple and the tree," Trixie commented.

"Definitely in this case," Mom agreed. "Although Greg isn't quite as bad as his father was. And he's a bit of a pushover when it comes to Stephanie."

"I think fathers always are when it comes to their daughters."

"Yes. So, dear, what have you been doing all this time?" Mom asked.

"Traveling a lot. Spending more time with my family. Nothing that exciting," Trixie replied. "I went on an African safari last year. It was incredible. Although for some reason that trip made me homesick for America. I wanted so much to come back here; to the place I always called home. I got the opportunity to return when my father decided to sell the lakefront home that had been passed down to him. I'm so glad that I volunteered to oversee its sale. It game me the chance to see my old friends again."

"Well, I'm certainly happy that you're back. I missed you, Trixie."

"I missed you, too." She paused. "I wasn't sure if you'd want to see me after the way Speed and I broke up."

"I understood why and I don't blame you." She hugged the younger woman. "You're always welcome in our home, Trixie."

\---

Speed stood in the doorway and watched the scene between his mother and former lover. It brought a smile to his face. _"This is the way things should be,"_ he thought. _"Trixie never should have left. Well, now she's back and I intend to see that she stays."_


	9. Chapter 9

"Thank you," Speed said to the waiter as he filled his mug and Trixie's with hot coffee. They had eaten their lunch while the kids happily pedaled around the lake. They hadn't talked much but Speed had a feeling that the conversation would pick up over coffee.

"Will you need anything else at this time?" the waiter asked.

"No, we're fine," Speed replied.

"If do need anything, please let me know," he said to the couple before he turned and went back inside the nautical-themed restaurant.

Trixie smiled as she gazed at the picturesque landscaping that surrounded the place. "It's really gorgeous here. They did a great job on the renovations."

"Sure did," Speed agreed. "The best part is the dock and pedal boats they added. I'm sure it brings in some nice bucks and people, especially children, just love it."

"Your kids certainly do. Look at them!"

Speed nodded and chuckled as he watched his two racing each other in the boats. "When we first took them here their mother was concerned about the boats tipping over. The owner explained to her that with the way they're made it's nearly impossible for them to tip. He also noted that everyone, even adults, have to wear life vests if they want to ride in them. For added safety there is life guard on duty. So, no worries about anything bad happening."

"That's good. You've got a couple of really nice kids there, Speed. You and Victoria should be very proud of how you're raising them."

"Thanks," he said. "Our marital problems notwithstanding, Vic and I are a united front when it comes to the kids. They know that they can't play us against each other."

"I'm really sorry about your marriage, Speed."

He shrugged. "Don't be. I'm not. Trix, Vicky and I married for all the wrong reasons. It was so impulsive, neither one of us really thought about what we were doing because we were so caught up in everything that was going on at the time."

_**Flashback** _

_"So you're seeing Vicky again tonight?" Sparky's voice came over the speaker of Speed's cell phone._

_"Yep. I'm tellin' ya, Sparky, I've never been so happy," Speed carefully navigated the city streets as he headed towards Vicky's apartment. "Last night was incredible. After we closed on my house we went back to her place to celebrate. She had a magnificent meal waiting for me, a bottle of champagne... The works! We celebrated until the wee hours of the morning. The only reason I even bothered to go home was that I needed to change my clothes. Vicky and I are spending the day together and I want to look nice for her."_

_"That's great, Speed. It's good to see you back to your old self again. I was worried about you for a while there." He paused. "You sure got over Trixie in a hurry."_

_"What do you mean by that? I sat in the house moping around for a month. Isn't that long enough? Hell, you're the one who told me I should go out and meet another girl."_

_"I know I did. But, I kinda meant a girl in... uh... a no strings attached kind of way, if you know what I mean."_

_"Yes, I know what you mean." Speed tried to keep the anger from his voice. "Sparky, you know I'm not that kind of guy. I need to care about a woman before I have sex with her."_

_"And do you care about Vicky?" he asked hoping Speed got the gist of what he really meant._

_Speed understood his meaning. "Yes, very much. I wouldn't be sleeping with her if I didn't."_

_"Well, that's good, I guess."_

_"Yes it is. Look, I gotta get going. I'm almost at Vicky's place. I'll talk to you later."_

_\---_

_As usual, Vicky had left the door unlocked for him. He worried about her doing that as anybody could walk in on her. She scoffed at his fears telling him that she only unlocked it when it neared the time for him to arrive. He entered the living room and sensed that something was wrong. The curtains were drawn and the radio, for once, was turned off. Vicky sat on the couch staring down at something in her hand. She looked as if she had been crying._

_Concerned; he sat next to her. "Hey honey, what's the matter?"_

_She gazed up at him, her eyes puffy and red. "Look at this." She held up a stick that had a blue plus sign on it._

_"What the heck is that? It looks like one of those pregnancy tests."_

_She nodded. "It is a pregnancy test."_

_"And what does it mean, the plus on it?"_

_"It means..." She looked at him pointedly, "that I'm pregnant."_

_The color completely drained from his face. "Oh my God... How...? We've always been so careful."_

_She sighed. "Not careful enough."_

_"Are you sure? I mean, those tests can be wrong," he said; obviously grasping at straws._

_"I know. So, that's why I took a second one and got the same results."_

_"Shit. How far along are you?"_

_"A few weeks, I guess. I managed to get an appointment at the Woman's Health Clinic for tomorrow morning. After the doctor examines me we'll have a better idea at just how pregnant I am."_

_"Pregnant is pregnant," he said. "Um, what are we going to do about it?"_

_" **We** aren't going to do anything, Greg. It's my problem. I'll deal with it."_

_"It's **our** problem, Vic," he said softly. _

_"No..." she said. "Greg, I need some time to myself to think."_

_"Me, too. Uh... I'll talk to you later... tomorrow... What time is your appointment?"_

_"Ten o'clock," she said._

_"Call me when you get back, okay?" She nodded. He kissed her on the cheek. "Talk to you tomorrow."_

_\---_

_**"I'm comin', I'm comin'... "** Speed could hear Sparky's annoyed voice from behind the door. "He doesn't sound happy at being woken up. Well, that's too bad." He had spent the day, and evening, driving around trying to make sense of the situation. At this point he needed someone to talk to._

_The door was flung open. "Speed, what the hell are you doing here at this time of night? Do you know how late it is?"_

_"Yeah, I do. I'm sorry, Sparky, but something's happened and I really need to talk... "_

_Hearing the distress in Speed's voice the mechanic ushered him in. "I'll go make us a pot of coffee."_

_"No, I need a beer. I think you might need one too after you hear this."_

_"Speed, I was sound asleep, the last thing I want is a beer." It was then that he noticed the overwrought expression on his friend's face. "Oh what the hell." He retrieved two beers and handed one to Speed who took a long swig of the brew._

_"Now, how about you telling me why you had to wake me out of the wonderful dream I was having. Sandra Bullock had just consented to run away to a tropical island with me."_

_"Sandra can wait," Speed said with a little smile. His expression became serious again. "Man, I don't know how to even begin to talk about any of this. How to even begin to say... Damn... I'm still in shock, I think."_

_Sparky's concern for his friend deepened. "Why don't you just come out and say whatever it is you wanted to say and be done with it?"_

_"Okay. Uh... Vicky's pregnant."_

_"What?" Sparky's eyes widened. "Wow. I can't believe it."_

_"That makes two of us." Speed rubbed his forehead. "I keep hoping that it's just a nightmare I'll wake up from. But I know it's not, even though it doesn't seem real."_

_"What are you gonna do about it?"_

_"Me? Nothing. Vicky said it's her problem and she'll deal with it."_

_"So she's gonna end it?"_

_Speed shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think she knows what she's gonna do either. She's got an appointment with the doctor tomorrow. We're gonna talk about it after she gets back." There was pure fear in his voice, "Sparky, I'm scared. Part of me wants her to end it, another part of me doesn't. If she goes through with the pregnancy, it means I'll be a father. I don't know if I'm ready for that. I mean, I've always wanted kids. I just didn't want them so soon. I really wanted to wait until I was older and more settled. If Vicky has the kid, I'll have no choice, I'll be a father... And what does it all mean? We're not married. So, would I have to take the kid a couple of days a week? Or would she want me to have full custody? Vicky is totally into getting her real estate license. She said that one day she wants to buy the place where she works. But, with a kid to raise I doubt that will ever happen. And me? I'm a professional racer; I travel all over the world. What kind of life would that be for a kid?" At this point he was frantically pacing the room. "I'm not gonna quit racing because of some stupid kid! I'm not! This isn't fair! This wasn't supposed to happen! Vicky and I have always been so careful. I don't understand it. **DAMN IT!** "_

_Sparky grabbed him by the shoulders. "Speed, calm down. You're rambling. Take a deep breath before you pass out."_

_Speed did as his friend said and felt his heart rate slow. He sat for a few minutes with his eyes closed. He slowly opened them, looking much more relaxed. "Okay... I'm okay now. I just needed to vent. Sparky, I'm gonna go home and do some thinking. Thanks for listening."_

_"You sure you're all right?"_

_"I'm okay." He finished the rest of his beer. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. And thanks again for being such a good friend."_

_\---_

_Speed stood outside Vicky's apartment. One hand was in his pocket, absentmindedly fingering the small box that held the item he had purchased earlier that morning. With the other hand he lightly rapped on the door._

_"Greg!" Vicky said in surprise as she opened the door. "What are you doing here?"_

_"I did a lot of thinking last night. In fact, I did so much thinking that I never got to bed." He smiled. "Stock in coffee's gonna go way up after all I drank last night and this morning."_

_"I didn't get much sleep either." She stared at him; there was an expression of expectation mixed with excitement on his face. "So, why are you here?"_

_He smiled again. "I figure that if we're gonna have a baby that I should be do my fatherly duty and go with you to the doctor's office. That is, if you want me to."_

_"Come inside," she said. "I think I need another cup of coffee."_

_"You shouldn't be drinking any coffee in your condition. Milk would be better."_

_"I hate milk. I'll just have a glass of orange juice. You want some?"_

_"No. Not right now. And I'd like it if you could just sit here next to me for a minute."_

_"Sure." She joined him on the sofa._

_"Thanks." He brushed a stray hair from her forehead and gazed into her amber eyes. "Vicky, I'm really sorry about all of this. But, I do think it happened for a reason. Like I said, last night I did a lot of thinking. I realized how much I truly care about you. How much I don't want to lose you. As I thought about us, I also thought about the baby and how I really want us to have it." He reached into his pocket and got down on one knee. "I love you, Vicky." There was a small blue box in his left hand. With a smile he opened it. The diamond solitaire nested inside reflected the light from the windows in a prism of color. It was beautiful. His voice was full of promise as he asked, "Will you marry me?"_

_Her hand went to her mouth and she gasped. "I can't believe this... Do you really mean it?" He nodded. "Yes, oh yes! I'll marry you!" Tears fell from her eyes as he placed the ring on her finger._

_"A perfect fit. I knew it." He gathered her in his arms and covered her face with kisses._ **"I'm getting married…"** he thought. **"I'm gonna be a father and I'm getting married."  
**  
 **End Flashback**

"It was a stupid decision made in haste." He glanced over her shoulder and watched as Gregory paddled furiously about the lake easily beating his little sister in their latest race. "I'm not saying that I'm sorry about Gregory, because I'm not. He's one of the best things that ever happened to me, along with his sister. But marrying Vicky..." He shook his head. "I was an idiot."

She lightly touched his arm. "Speed... You did the right thing at the time. You gave your son a full-time father. And I'm sure you weren't miserable your whole marriage."

"No. In the beginning things were really good. It was all so exciting and new. Getting married, having a baby. Yeah, we were happy for a while. Things started to turn sour when Vicky had trouble getting pregnant. We wanted another child so badly and were trying for over a year. There was a ton of tension between us. We went to a fertility specialist and he couldn't find anything wrong with either of us. He told us to relax and it would happen. He was right, Vicky finally became pregnant. We were ecstatic; especially when we found out we were having a girl. So, Stephie was born and we had a nice little family. But there was always something there, like the proverbial elephant in the room, that wouldn't go away."

"Where does your marriage stand right now?"

Speed looked at his children again, glad that they weren't in ear shot. "Vicky and I are legally separated. We still live together, but our marriage is in name only. She's got the bedroom, I'm in my office. We have a spare bedroom, but I prefer to sleep in my office where my most personal things are."

"You haven't told anyone yet, have you?"

He shook his head. "No. We want to wait until the time is right."

"Is that why you still wear your wedding ring?" she asked.

"Uh huh." He played with the gold band a bit. "I know it stupid to keep up the illusion of marriage; it's just that we don't want to cause our families any grief until we have to."

"Or the kids I bet."

Pain showed on his face at that thought. "The poor kids, that's who I worry about the most."

She squeezed his hand. "I know. It's got to be so hard for you to be carrying this burden."

"It's going to be tough to tell them," he said. "But it's something that Vicky and I are going to have to do soon."

"The love you and Vicky have for those kids will help them get through it."

"Thank you for saying that." He smiled. "I'm really glad you came back, Trixie. I never realized just how much I missed you."

Trixie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. His eyes were threatening to see right into her soul. "I... I also missed you, Speed," she whispered. "It's nice to be home, even if it's only for a couple of weeks."

"You could stay longer," he suggested.

"No, I've got to leave after I sell the lake house."

"Why?" he asked. "You got a boyfriend waiting for you?"

"Not at the moment."

"Ah, but you did have one," he said.

"Did you think I wouldn't during all the time we've been apart?"

"No, I guess not." He took a sip of his coffee. "Any serious relationships?"

She nodded. "A couple. Unfortunately, neither one worked out. I guess I'm unlucky when it comes to love."

"You're probably better off. Look how I ended up," he said.

"Things will get better for you, Speed. I just hope that your divorce isn't too messy."

"I'm sorry to say that it probably will be. The custody arrangement is the big stumbling block. Vic's got the edge being she's their mother. She also makes good money. That real estate is a gold mine. She really did a good job with the place. Too bad the circumstances weren't different because I'm sure Vicky could have gotten you top dollar for that property."

Trixie blushed. "Actually, Four Palms is the real estate that is selling it. I didn't know it belonged to your wife when I went there. I hope you're not angry."

Speed laughed. "Angry? I think it's pretty funny in an absurd kind of way. I'm just wondering why Vicky hasn't mentioned it to me."

"Probably because she doesn't know about it. I've only been there once. Vicky came in when I was leaving. She was a whirlwind, I'll tell you that. I doubt she even noticed my being there."

"I'm sure she didn't. She's pretty single minded when she gets on a tangent. I do have to say, her agents are the best. Whoever you're dealing with will get you the most money possible for that house."

"That's good. So, how did she come up with the name Four Palms?" she asked.

Speed chuckled. "Actually, it was Gregory's idea. Vicky loves palm trees and wanted them incorporated into the logo somehow. We were tossing around possible names for the place when Gregory came in with a picture of four palm trees that he'd drawn. The picture was for a school project. He had to draw objects that represented his family. So, to represent us, he drew the trees and under each tree he put one of our names. He said that we were like four tall, strong Royal palms. Vic and I looked at each other and knew that Four Palms would be the name. We even took his drawing and had our logo artist jazz it up a bit. It was perfect. We were so proud of him for coming up with the idea. Poor Stephie was upset because she wasn't a part of it. Gregory came up with the idea of letting her decide what color to use on the background of the logo. She picked blue, her favorite color."

"Aw, that's sweet. Speed, what's going to happen to Four Palms when you and Vicky divorce?"

"The real estate belongs to Vicky, I want nothing to do with it. I swear it's like a third child to her. Well, that's one kid I don't want custody of." A shadow fell across his face. "Let's not talk about my marriage anymore, okay? I want both of us to enjoy ourselves today." He sighed as he finished the last of his coffee. The waiter seemingly came out of nowhere and refilled both their cups. "Now that's service."

Trixie grinned. "Sure is." She leaned back in her chair and sighed. It was a beautiful afternoon and she was glad she had come. Speed had also relaxed; he had loosened his tie and unbuttoned his jacket. The mood abruptly changed when he suddenly looked past her and straightened.

"Gregory, sit down! You're not supposed to stand up in the boat!" he shouted.

Trixie turned around to see Gregory lowering himself to his seat. "He could have gotten hurt," she said.

"I'm not worried about that. He's an excellent swimmer, plus that lifeguard on the dock over there is always on the lookout. I'm more concerned about a wet kid ruining the leather interior of my car," he said.

Trixie couldn't believe her ears. "Speed! You're terrible!"

He started laughing. "I was just kidding. If either one of my kids fell into that lake, I'd be in that water in a flash. You should only know how well I've been keeping my eye on them."

"Actually, I did notice it," she said. "Even when we were deep in conversation I noticed that you'd take your eyes off me and look over my shoulder at them. Yet, you were still able to keep up your end of the conversation. It's kind of amazing how you can do that."

"It's a sort of skill you develop when you're a parent."

"You're a good father, Speed," she said.

"Thanks. Remind me to tell the kids that when they get mad at me for scolding them."

"You know they love you, Speed," she said.

"I know. It just makes me feel so bad when I have to discipline them. The looks on their faces, especially Steph... All that's gotta happen is her eyes filling tears and I fall apart inside. The hardest part is keeping up that gruff exterior."

"I'll bet," Trixie said. She picked up her cup and sipped the coffee, her mind trying to comprehend what it would be like to be a parent. Without warning Speed took hold of her hand.

"Trixie," he said, "I don't know what's going to happen after Vicky and I split up. But one thing I do know is that I want you in my life. I can't bear the thought of you leaving again."

"Speed… I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll stay," he held her hand tighter. "I'm going to need my friends to help see me through this."

His eyes again threatened to bore a hole in her soul. "I'll be here for you, even if it's not physically."

Speed quickly pulled his hand away; his feelings hurt. "I guess it's something."

"Speed, no matter how far away I go, a part of my heart will always be here with you. When I do leave, I'll keep in touch, okay?"

"Promise?"

She patted his arm. "Promise."

\---

Gregory stopped his pedal boat and watched the conversation between his father and Trixie. A frown crossed his face; he didn't like what he saw..

Stephanie pulled up next to him. "What's the matter?" she asked.

"Nothing. I'm just tired of this stupid old boat. I want to go home."

"We can't! Daddy and Aunt Trixie aren't finished with their coffee yet and I still want to ride in the boat some more."

He pedaled over to the dock and climbed out of his boat. "It's getting late and I still have homework to do."

Steph shook her head. "You're gonna be in big trouble when Daddy finds out. You know he wants our homework done as soon as we get home from school. I bet he grounds you."

"Big whoop. Like I care."

"You'll care enough when I tell Daddy!" She pulled her boat alongside the dock and somehow managed to climb out on her own. "Daddy!" she cried a bit gleefully at the thought of her brother getting punished for not doing his homework.

"Stupid tattle-tale. Steph's gonna get me in trouble. But it'll be worth if it makes Dad end his stupid lunch date with _her._ " He removed his life jacket and slowly walked towards the table. His sister was animatedly talking while his father's face reddened with anger. Gregory gulped. _"This isn't gonna be fun."_

"Gregory," Speed said as the boy sat down, "why didn't you tell me that you had homework to do?"

The child shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I forgot."

"You guess you forgot?" Speed said. "What are the rules regarding homework, Gregory?"

"We're s'posed to do it first thing when we get home from school," Stephanie interjected. "An' he didn't! Now he's gonna be in big trouble, right Daddy?"

"I wasn't talking to you," Speed told her sternly. "You sit there and keep quiet or else you'll be next."

"Sorry..." she mumbled and looked down at her hands.

"Gregory, answer the question I asked you."

"When we get home from school the first thing we do is our homework. Then we bring it to you or Mom to check and sign," the boy told him.

"That's right. So, why didn't you do that?" Speed asked.

"I don't know... I had a lot of homework this weekend. I did everything else except for math."

"Math. Great," Speed said. He turned to Trixie. "Math is his worst subject. I think we'd better go so he can get started on it. Lord knows how many hours I'll spend helping him."

Trixie said, "Gregory, you're not good in math? Maybe I could help you. Math was my best subject."

"I hate math!" he said spitefully. "And I hate people who are good at it!"

Trixie's expression showed the hurt that she was feeling. She turned away surprised that Speed's son would say something so cruel.

"Gregory!" Speed exclaimed in angry astonishment. "You apologize to Aunt Trixie for what you just said!"

The boy glared at both of them. "I'm sorry, _Aunt_ _Trixie_. That better?"

"You watch your attitude, young man. This isn't over, not by a long shot. We're going to have a very long talk when we get home."

The boy rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"You're cruising, Gregory!" Speed warned him. He motioned to the waiter and got the check. "I'm sorry we have to cut this short, Trix. Damn kids."

"It's not a big deal. It was still a very nice lunch."

\---

The only sound in the car was the music coming from the radio. Trixie could feel the tension between Speed and his children. She looked behind her, Stephanie was reading a book while Gregory sullenly stared out the window. She still couldn't figure out the sudden animosity the boy had shown towards her. _"I shouldn't even try to understand what's going on. Gregory's mad at Speed, so maybe he took it out on me knowing it would upset him,"_ she thought.

Speed broke the ice as he pulled the car in to the secure lot of the Interpol Building. He parked in his designated spot and turned to the kids. "You wait here while I walk Aunt Trixie to her car."

"Why didn't you just park next to her so that you wouldn't have so far to walk?" Stephanie asked.

"Because I need to talk to her, to apologize for your brother's rudeness," Speed said.

Gregory glowered at them as they walked around the side of the building to the visitor's parking area. " _Of course he wants to walk her to her car. He thinks I don't know what he's up to. Dad doesn't even care how hurt Mom will be if she ever finds out."_

_\---_

"Trix, I'm really sorry about what happened with Gregory before. I don't know what got into him. He's normally not like that, I swear," Speed said.

"I know. Speed, he was upset and I didn't help the situation any by bragging about how good I was in math."

"That doesn't matter. He shouldn't have spoken to you that way. It's bad enough that he lied to his mother and me about his homework on Friday. What he said to you sealed the deal insofar as his being punished goes."

Trixie felt sorry for the boy, but she knew better than to say anything to Speed about it when he was in such a foul mood. She was relieved when they reached her car. "Thanks for lunch."

"I'll call you later, okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

Speed gazed into her eyes. She knew what was going to come next and she felt powerless to stop it. He leaned in and lowered his lips to hers. The kiss was short, but it was enough to stir the passion between them. She felt his body react to her as he moved in closer for another kiss. She shook her head and pulled away. "No... "

He blinked a few times and ran his hand through his hair. "Trix, I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that."

"It's okay," she whispered.

"No, it's not." He shook his head; hating himself for kissing her. "I'm really sorry," he said again before he turned and walked away.

She felt lightheaded as she got into her car. Her heart pounded with such ferocity that it felt like it was going to leap out of her chest. "That wasn't a bright thing to do; letting him kiss me. He's a married man," she admonished herself. "A married man headed for a divorce. But he's still married! I've got to end this before it goes any further. He's going to be upset when I tell him I can't see him again. No matter how it makes him feel it still has to be done." With a sigh she started the car and went back to her hotel.


	10. Chapter 10

Speed was surprised to see Vicky's SUV when he pulled into the garage. "Wonder what she's doing home so early?"

"Mommy's home!" Stephanie exclaimed. She unbuckled her seat belt. "I gotta tell her all about going to the Boathouse and Aunt Trixie comin' with us!"

"Stephie, wait!" Before Speed could stop her, she ran from the car. He looked up to the heavens and shook his head. "Aw, crap. Why me? I don't need this."

"Looks like I'm not the only one who's gonna be in trouble," Gregory said under his breath.

Speed glared at him. "I heard that! One more word out of you and you'll be grounded until you're forty!" The boy smirked. "I saw that, too! Get your ass in the house. **NOW!** "

Gregory scrambled out of the car and flew out the garage. He knew he had pushed his father to the breaking point and that any minute his temper would erupt. "Dad's ready to blow a gasket!" he exclaimed breathlessly as he entered the house.

"What?" Victoria asked. "Why is he angry?"

"Daddy's mad 'cause Gregory didn't do his math homework," Stephanie said; grinning at her brother.

"Shut up!" he shouted. "You always have to butt in. Mind your own business!"

"Why didn't you do your homework?" his mother asked.

"I forgot."

"You always forget. Gregory, what are we going to do with you?" Victoria said. "Get up to your room and get started on it. Your father and I will discuss whatever punishment you're going to get."

"Okay." The boy climbed the stairs to his room with a smile on his face that Victoria couldn't see.

Stephanie stood by her mother; gloating. "Betcha you and Daddy will ground him, right Mommy?"

"I don't think that's any of your concern, Steph."

"But Mommy, Gregory ruined the fun I was havin' in the pedal boat!" she cried.

"I'm sorry about that, sweetie. I know it's not fair. Maybe one day soon you and I can have a girls' day out and we'll both go ride the pedal boats. Would you like that?" Victoria asked.

Steph's eyes lit up. "Oh yes! And could we maybe ask Aunt Trixie to come with us? She only had lunch and she never did get the chance to ride in one of the boats."

Victoria's face paled a bit. "Aunt Trixie?"

The child was oblivious to her mother's reaction. "Yes. She and Daddy came to Grandma and Grandpops' today. I helped Grandma bake cookies and they said they were really good. After that, we all went to lunch. That's when Gregory and me rode in the boats. I wish Daddy and Aunt Trixie woulda rode with us. They just sat at the table eating, talking and other stuff."

"And other stuff..." Victoria's face flushed as anger flooded over her. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists when she heard the front door open.

"What are you doing home?" Speed asked as he removed his suit jacket and hung it on the coat rack. "I thought that open house was an all day thing."

"One of the couples that showed up loved the house and bought it on the spot so I got out of there early than I expected," Victoria said as she tried to keep her voice from rising. "How was _your_ day?"

Speed could sense the storm brewing beneath his wife's calm exterior. "Okay. I guess you heard that Gregory forgot to do his homework."

"Yes, I did. I also heard some other interesting tidbits about your day."

"I'm sure you did," Speed said dryly. "And I guess you want to talk about it, right?"

"You bet I do!" Victoria had a feeling it wouldn't be a good thing for her daughter to witness the blow-up that was about to ensue. "Stephie, why don't you go up to your room and play? I need to discuss some things in private with your father."

"Like Gregory's punishment?"

Victoria nodded. "That, among other things."

"Oh boy!" Stephie was up the stairs and in her brother's room in a flash. "Somebody's in trouble!" she sang.

"Don't you ever knock?" Gregory asked. He sat on the bed playing a hand-held video game.

"Sorry," Steph replied. "Hey, why aren't you doing your homework?"

"Because I did it on Friday."

The little girl was confused. "But you said you forgot to do it? Why did you lie?"

"I've got my reasons," he said.

"There's never a good reason to lie!" she told him as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "Mommy and Daddy will punish you even worse if they found out you lied."

"I really don't care. And Mom won't punish me when she finds out I told the lie to help her."

"Huh?" a befuddled Stephanie asked. "How can a lie help Mommy?"

"Because," Gregory peered into her eyes, "it got Dad away from Aunt Trixie, that's why."

"What's wrong with Aunt Trixie? I think she's really nice. And she was Daddy's spotter. Grandpops said she's like a member of the family."

"Duh, dummy! And if she gets her way, she'll be a _real_ member of the family." Gregory tossed his game to the side as the voices down stairs rose in anger.

"I don't understand."

"Shhhh!" he held his index finger to his lips as he strained to listen to his parents' argument.

\---

"I can't believe that you would have the audacity to flaunt that woman in front of our children!" Victoria exclaimed. "Haven't you any shame?"

"She's a friend. We had lunch. There is **nothing** going on between us!" Speed proclaimed. " **NOTHING!** "

"Liar!" she spat. "You can deny it all you want, but your body language gives you away. I saw how you behaved with her at the barbecue. Everybody saw it!"

"There you go again with your delusions. It's all in your head, Vic. You really need to talk to someone, a therapist, maybe. You've been this way since we first met. The mere mention of Trixie's name drives you to insanity. She's a part of my past." He crossed his arms. "Deal with it."

"If you'd let her stay in the past I'd have no problem with it. But you and your family just can't help bringing her up at every opportunity."

"She's hardly ever talked about. It's just that if she's mentioned, even in passing, you blow it up to ridiculous proportions and claim she's constantly being brought up!"

"Because she is! I've never been able to catch a break with your family. I've been compared with her from day one." She turned away from him, not wanting him to see the tears that she knew were ready to fall.

_**Flashback** _

_Vicky pulled her car into Mom and Pops Racer's driveway; a huge, self-satisfied grin on her face._ _ " _ _ I can't believe I actually sold that house for that price! What a commission I made!" She exited the car and walked up the path to the front door. "I'll take the whole family out to celebrate tonight." She walked into the house towards the kitchen where she could hear Mom Racer conversing on the ph_ _one. She stopped just short of the entryway. It was beyond rude to listen she knew, but mention of her son caused her to do so anyway._

_"Gregory's adorable. Of course, being his Grandma I'm a bit biased. You have to see him, Betty, he's the spitting image of his father... Speed? He loves being a daddy. I can't believe how well he's has taken to parenthood. Pops and I are so proud of him... Vicky? Oh she's a nice girl and a very good mother."_

_Vicky smiled. That smile would soon turn into a frown._

_"Well yes, Speed and Trixie did date a long time. But, you know how those things go... sigh... Yes, I do miss her. Trixie was a very special girl. I thought for sure that she was the one for Speed... I do often wonder what would have happened if she and Speed had married... Uh huh... Pops sure misses her being on the team... No, Vicky rarely goes to the track; she's got no interest in racing or any sports, actually... I know... I think Speed's hurt that she doesn't go to watch him practice. He never complains, mind you, but he looks so sad when the subject is brought up... Sometimes I wonder how she and Speed ended up together. He's so athletic and loves just about every sport there is. Vicky doesn't. Now, Trixie always loved to play sports. She and Speed used to go running together... Yes, he still runs, but alone now... I know, I know, but I suppose he sees something in her that we don't. Oh, she is a nice girl but she just doesn't seem right for Speed. I don't know, maybe it's because I had gotten so used to Trixie being with him..."_

_Vicky felt tears well up in her eyes as she turned and left the house._ _ "Trixie... It's always Trixie. Why can't anyone in Greg's family accept me?" _ _ She went back to her car, sat in it and stared at the Racer home. "I've tried so hard to be a member of his family, but no matter what I do I always end up feeling like an outsider." _

_**End Flashback** _

"It's your irrational jealousy of a woman I once loved that's making you think that," Speed said. "From the first time you heard her name and found out that she and I were once involved you've hated her."

"I don't hate her," Vicky said. "What I do hate is your obsession with her. Your whole damn family's obsession with her. She can do no wrong with you people. Then she comes back to town and not only do you fawn all over her at the barbecue, you take her to lunch with our children! What kind of parent does something like that?"

"A parent who values time with his kids, that's who!"

Victoria narrowed her eyes. "What kind of crack was that? Are you insinuating that I don't spend enough time with the children?"

"Did I say that? I think you're feeling guilty, honey. Maybe you've just been spending way too much time at that real estate of yours. You're gone so much that I'm surprised the kids even remember who you are."

"You son of a bitch!" Victoria cried. "Don't even think you can turn what you did today into an attack against me!"

"It's not an attack," Speed said. "It's the truth. You spend more time at your damn business than you do with your own kids. You're there every freaking day."

"I own Four Palms, I have to be there!"

"Yeah, because you're a control freak. There's no reason why someone else can't be in charge a couple of days a week."

"You don't know anything about running a business, Greg, so you have no idea what you're talking about."

"My father runs his own business. You think he didn't teach me anything about it?"

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Taught you what? How to nearly run a business into the ground? Just how many years did it take him to get out of the red again?"

Speed angrily stomped past her. "I've had enough of you and your sniping at my family." He grabbed his jacket from the coat rack. "I'm outta here!"

"Go ahead, leave! You don't have to bother coming back, either!"

"Maybe I won't!" he growled.

With a slam of the door he was gone. Victoria shook in anger. "Rotten jerk. To think at one time I actually thought he was a decent man."

\---

"Do you think Daddy's really not gonna come back?" a terrified Stephanie asked her brother.

"No. He's just mad right now," Gregory said; praying that he was right about his father. "He'll go for a drive somewhere, maybe to Uncle Sparky's, and come home later." He hoped against hope that his father's travels wouldn't take him to the hotel where a certain former member of the Go Team was staying.

"Why do they have to fight like that? Why is Mommy so mad about Aunt Trixie coming with us today?"

Gregory sighed. He wondered if his sister was too young to understand what was really going on with their parents. "Mom's upset because Dad used to date Aunt Trixie."

"Yeah, I know that," Steph said with a nod. "Grandma said she used to be Daddy's girlfriend. But that was a long time ago, before he met Mommy."

"But what if Aunt Trixie still thinks she's Dad's girlfriend? And what if Dad feels the same way? He might end up leaving Mom for her."

Stephanie's eyes widened into saucers. "No! Daddy loves Mommy, he'd never leave her! **Never!"**

"Don't be so sure about that. I see the way Aunt Trixie looks at him and the way he looks back at her. I betcha he does end up leaving and he and Mom get a divorce."

"No! They would never do that! They love each other!"

Gregory shook his head. "Sure doesn't sound like love with the way they yell at each other. Betcha they get divorced and we never see Dad again."

"You're wrong! I'm gonna ask Mommy and you'll see!" Stephanie leaped from the bed.

Gregory grabbed her by the arm. "Don't do that! Do you want Mom to get even more upset than she already is? Do you want to make her cry?"

"I don't want to see Mommy cry." She let out a deep sigh. "Gregory, I hate when they fight."

He put his arm around his sister. "So do I, Steph, so do I."

"We've gotta do something to make them stop fighting, Gregory."

"Yeah." He closed his eyes; pursed his lips and then a smile crept across his face as an idea came to him. "Steph, I think I've got a plan."

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you all about when I figure out exactly how I'm gonna do it."

\---

O'Malley's had a decent sized crowd for a Sunday. A U2 song blared from the jukebox. Some people played darts while others watched the Red Sox throttle the Yankees on the large screen TV. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits except for the man in his early thirties who sat alone, brooding, while he nursed a pint of Guinness. He glanced around the bar and sighed as he tried to remember back to a time when he had been so carefree. _"They don't know how lucky they are..."_  
  
Another man of about the same age sidled up to him. "I thought I'd never get here!" he exclaimed. "There's a street fair going on by my place, the roads are a mess."

"That's gotta suck," Speed managed a smile. "Thanks for coming, Sparky.

"No problem. I was thinking of going out for a drink anyway," the mechanic said. "And I could tell by the tone of your voice that you were upset about something."

"You know me too well," Speed said.

"So what's up?"

He sighed. "Same old, same old... Vicky and I had another blow-up."

"Man, I don't know why you don't just move out."

"I do that and Vicky will claim in court that I abandoned my children," Speed explained.

"But you're separated; there won't be any abandonment issues."

Speed took a long sip of his ale. "Maybe. But if I leave, there is a good chance I can lose the house."

"You and that house. I don't know why the hell you and Vicky even bought it with everything that's been going on between the two of you."

Speed shrugged. "Our old one was too small. Besides, with Vicky's connections we got that house built to our specifications for an incredible price. We couldn't pass it up."

"So now you've got one more thing to fight over. Not too bright, buddy. That house is huge; you're probably better off selling it and splitting the profits."

"No way," Speed said with a bit of defiance. "That's my dream home. The place I've fantasized about living in all my life. I intend to buy out Vicky's half and live there with the kids." He sipped his drink. "Whether she likes it or not."

"She's not gonna like it; you know she's gonna fight you on it. I don't see why you can't try to work something out, maybe split custody."

"We can't because Vicky wants sole custody and so do I. Neither one of us wants to budge, which is why we're seeing a mediator next week. I'm hoping that maybe he can come up with a solution."

"If you want a solution you're going to have to stop being so stubborn on the issue."

"She's the stubborn one," Speed said, "not me."

The mechanic threw up his hands. "I give up. I also know that this conversation is going to go 'round in circles so maybe I'm better off just changing the subject."

"Smartest thing you've said all night."

Sparky sighed and wondered why Speed couldn't see that he was being just as stubborn as his wife. He took a drink and did change the subject. "So... What do you think of Trixie being back in town?"

"It was really nice to see her again," Speed said. He promptly took a sip of his ale.

"Uh huh. That's it?" Sparky asked. "After not seeing her for over ten years I thought your reaction might be a little more emotional."

"What do you want me to say? That I'm still madly in love with her and want us to get back together again?"

Sparky shrugged. "Maybe. I already know that you spent the day with her."

"And the kids," Speed said quickly. "We took them to the Boathouse for lunch. Gregory and Stephie got to play in the pedal boats while Trixie and I caught up with each other. After lunch I took her back to her car and she left. End of story."

"Why do I have a feeling that there's a big part of the story that you're leaving out?"

Speed turned away. Sparky could see right through him and would probably keep badgering him until he finally told the truth. "Okay," he sighed. "The kids stayed in my car while I walked Trixie to her car. Right before we said our goodbyes, I kissed her." Sparky's eyes widened. "Before you say anything, I know that it was a stupid thing to do. Really stupid."

"I'll say. What the hell is wrong with you, Speed?"

"Greg."

"Huh?"

"My name is Greg. I stopped being Speed when I quit racing. How many times do I have to remind you of that?"

"Sorry that I keep forgetting," Sparky said, trying not to show the annoyance he was feeling. "Greg, you've got a wife and two kids and now you're pursuing your ex-girlfriend. You're going from the proverbial frying pan right into the fire."

"I know that and I've decided that I'm going to put a stop to it before it goes any further," Speed told him even though he knew that what he said was a lie. He just hoped Sparky wouldn't be able to see that.

The mechanic nodded. "You'd better. I don't want to see you hurt Trixie the way you hurt Vicky."

Speed shot him an angry glare. "Oh, so everything going wrong with my marriage is all my fault?"

"No. But you've got to admit, things went downhill after what happened two years ago."

"I never slept with Paisley," Speed said defensively.

"Maybe not, but you damn well wanted to," Sparky said.

"But I didn't," he countered. "And it took a helluva lot of willpower to not have sex with her. She was gorgeous, young and willing."

"You shouldn't have even let things get as far as they did."

Speed felt his temper begin to rise. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe there was a reason for that? That maybe my wife was so caught up in her stupid business that she forgot all about her husband and his needs?"

"Your needs... For Pete's sake!" Sparky exclaimed. "It's all about you, always you!"

"Yeah, right!" Speed's voice rose in anger. "I put myself before my family which is why I'm working at that crap job at Interpol instead of racing!" He slammed his mug on the bar. The patrons stopped what they were doing and stared at him. "I gave up everything for my family and you have the nerve to call me selfish?" Speed glared at the gaping crowd. They went back to their business.

"Calm down, dude. I never said you were selfish."

"No, but you sure as hell implied it! You're as bad as Vicky," he said bitterly. He snapped up his mug and downed the rest of the ale. "I wouldn't be surprised if you're both conspiring against me."

Sparky couldn't help but laugh. "Oh man, Greg, now you're just being totally paranoid. Listen buddy, I love the both of you and I hate what's going on between you. The last thing I'm going to do is take sides. Yeah, you're my best friend, but over the years Vicky has become a helluva good friend, too. If you want to know what I'm really upset about, it's Trixie. I know you've been carrying a torch for her all this time. From watching her with you the other day, I think she might still have some feelings for you, too. And I'm scared that she's the one who, in the end, is going to get hurt."

"She's not going to get hurt, I'll see to it."

"She'd better not. Because if she does..." His voice trailed off.

Speed eyed him with suspicion. "Why all this concern about Trixie? If I didn't know better, I'd say you've got a thing for her."

Sparky's face reddened. "She's a friend. I... care about her, that's all." He closed his eyes, not daring to say out loud what he was really thinking. _"I care about her more than you'll ever know."_


	11. Chapter 11

The king-sized bed located in room twelve on the fifth floor of the Harbor Side Hotel was huge and comfortable and made for a perfect night's sleep. Though for the occupant of that bed, Trixie Shimura, sleep had been elusive. She had spent the majority of the night staring up at the ceiling. The few times she had managed to doze off she was haunted by dreams that she couldn't remember. "I feel like I didn't sleep at all," she said with a tired sigh. A quick glance at the clock told her it was almost nine AM. "I really should get up, but I think I'll lie here a bit more." She turned on her side; snuggled under the blankets and closed her eyes.

After what felt like only a few minutes, she opened her eyes. To her surprise the time was now eleven-thirty. "I can't believe I actually fell asleep! I guess I really needed it," she remarked as she yawned and stretched. Feeling a growl in her stomach she picked up the phone and called room service. "A Swiss cheese omelet would sure hit the spot," she said as arose from the bed and again stretched.  "I've got enough time before they deliver my breakfast to take a shower. It was quick shower, less than ten minutes, but it was enough to erase the grogginess that she'd been feeling. She had just finished getting dressed when there was a knock on the door. "Wow! That was fast!" She went to the door expecting to see a hotel employee with a tray. Instead she was greeted by a handsome man with coal black hair and cobalt blue eyes. "Speed! What in the world are you doing here?"

"Trix, we need to talk," he said.

"Yes, I think we do." She opened the door wider. "Come in. When you knocked, I thought it was room service with my breakfast."

"Breakfast?" He glanced at his watch. "It's nearly noon."

"I didn't sleep well last night and tried to make up for it this morning."

He nodded. "I know what you mean; I didn't get much sleep either. When I finally did doze off it was almost four and I had to get up a five!"

"Uh huh. I guess we should discuss what happened yesterday," she said, just wanting to get the whole thing over with so that she could get on with her life.

"Yeah. Um, I'm really sorry that I took advantage of you that way."

"It wasn't like you forced yourself on me. I wanted that kiss just as much as you did, even though I knew it was wrong. Speed, you're married."

"Soon to be divorced," he noted.

"But, not yet," she countered. "What we did was wrong. So very wrong. I think that maybe we need to cool things down a bit between us."

"It was only a kiss."

"A kiss that damned well could have led to other things had your kids not been waiting for you." She shook her head. "Your kids…What about them? I have a feeling Gregory knows that something is going on between us."

"Don't be silly," he scoffed. "He was just pissed off because he knew I was going to punish him for not doing his homework. The kid's going through a phase and acts that way all the time. It's got nothing to do with you."

"I'm not so sure about that." She nervously paced the room. The conversation was getting decidedly uncomfortable. _"Where's that damned room service?"_ she wondered. To her relief the food arrived moments later, although she wasn't all that hungry anymore.

"You want some coffee?" she asked. A full pot had been brought to her room, along with her omelet, toast and a glass of orange juice.

"Coffee sounds perfect." He joined her at the table. "When's the last time we ate breakfast together?"

"I'm having breakfast; you're just having coffee,” she pointed out to him.

"True. Still, it sure does bring back memories of us waking up in the morning and having breakfast together, doesn't it?"

She only nodded as her own memories resurfaced.

_**Flashback...** _

_Early morning light peeked through the window blinds. Trixie's eyes slowly fluttered open. She turned to face the clock. "It's eight-fifteen," she said softly. She could feel Speed next to her, deep in slumber. It surprised her because he had to get up to practice for next week's race. She knew she should wake him but the last thing she wanted at the moment was to have any interaction with him. He moved and put his right arm around her waist. Her body stiffened as he tried to pull her closer._ _**"I guess he's not as much asleep as I thought he was."** _

_"Hmmm... Good morning, sweetheart," he whispered as he nuzzled her neck. "You're feeling sexy, as usual."_

_She nudged him away. "Mpfh... Not in the mood..."_

_"I bet I can get you in the mood." Speed reached under the blanket and tickled her thigh._

_She slapped his hand . "Don't you understand English? I said I'm not in the mood!" With the blanket wrapped around her, she sat up._

_"You're never in the mood lately," Speed said; pouting. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were mad at me."_

_"I'm not mad at you, Speed."_

_"Well, you're sure acting like you are. Ever since Lily's wedding you've been distant. You keep pushing me away," he said. "It's been four days since we had sex."_

_"Wow! Four whole days," Trixie's voice dripped sarcasm. "How did you survive nineteen years without it?"_

_"I took a lot of cold showers," he said; grinning._

_Trixie wasn't amused. "Well, then I guess you can take another one this morning._

_Speed sighed. "Why are you acting like this, Trixie?"_

_She shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you except that I'm not in the mood for sex."_

_"It's not just sex, Trix. It's your whole attitude towards me. I try to initiate conversation; ask questions about your day and you just give me one word responses. When I mentioned going to the movies the other night, you_ _ **claimed**_ _you had a headache."_

_"Speed, I did. It was the truth, I wasn't lying to you," she said._

_He eyed her suspiciously. "You seem to have a lot of headaches lately. Maybe you should see a doctor."_

_"I'm fine. It's just that I..." She shook her head. "I really don't want to talk about it right now."_

_"When do you want to talk about it? If something about our relationship is bothering you I have the right to know. After all, I am the man you're going to marry."_

_She shot him an angry look. "The man I'm going to marry?_ _**When?** _ _"_

_He looked away from her accusing glare. "I don't know... Maybe next year sometime."_

_"Maybe next year sometime," she snorted. "Where have I heard_ _**that** _ _before?"_

_"What do you want from me, Trixie?" he asked. "I'm doing the best I can. Marriage is serious business. It's not something you walk into lightly. Have you seen the divorce rate?"_

_"Speed, we've been living together for two years. Isn't that serious business? You said one time that marriage was just a piece of paper. So what's the big deal about it then? What are you afraid of?"_

_"I'm not afraid of anything! I just don't like being put on the spot."_

_"We're engaged, it's natural that we'd pick a wedding date. People have been asking when we're getting married. Your parents, my parents, our friends..."_

_"Screw them!" Speed proclaimed as he rose, naked, from the bed. "It's none of their damned business!"  
_  
 _"That's a nice way to talk about the people who care about you."_

_"Sorry, but I really think those people who are bugging you about our relationship need to mind their business and concentrate on their own lives. And you should tell them that the next time they stick their noses where they don't belong."_

_"Why should I when I have asked you that very same question? I want us to set a wedding date," she said. "Today."_

_He stood defiantly with his arms crossed. "No."_

_She finally lost the temper she had been trying to keep at bay._ _**"Damn it, why not?"** _

_"Because I don't want to get married," he mumbled._

_"What?" Trixie thought for sure she had misunderstood what he had just said._

_"You heard me. I don't want to get married." The expression on his face could best be described as one of relief._

_Trixie blanched. "You can't mean that. Speed, we're engaged, that means we're committed to getting married." He stood, still naked, in front of her not saying a thing. She went to his dresser, pulled out a pair of boxer shorts and threw them at him. "Put something on you look ridiculous!"_

_He slipped into the shorts. "Trixie... I'm sorry okay? But I can't live a lie anymore."_

_She flung open the bedroom door. "Get out."_

_"I will, after I take a shower. I have to get down to the track."_

_She shook her head. "No. Take your shower at the track. I want you out of here."_

_"I'm not going anywhere. This is my home as much as it is yours," he said._

_"It was my home first. You're the one who moved in with me, remember?"_

_Speed rolled his eyes. "You talked me into it because you said my apartment wasn't big enough for two people. I would've been quite happy to stay there."_

_"You agreed with me!" Trixie threw up her hands in exasperation. "You said that there was no way all my stuff could fit into that cramped little dump of yours!"_

_Speed narrowed his eyes. "Dump? I never called my apartment a dump! At the time I rented it you didn't call it that either. Nice to know that you were lying when you told me how nice and cozy it was."_

_"Did you really expect me to tell you the truth about it when you were so happy?" she said. "I was trying to be nice."_

_"Bitch! Why don't **you** leave if you're so damned unhappy living with me?"_

_"All right I will!" She flew out of bed and quickly got dressed. Angrily, she threw the clothes from her closet into a suitcase not even bothering to fold them. Wrinkled blouses were the last things on her mind at the moment._

_Speed watched as she packed. "You're gonna regret this," he said._

_"The only thing I'm going to regret is all the years I wasted on a man who just told me he didn't love me!"_

_"Trix," he reached out to her; she backed away, "I never said that."_

_"If you loved me, you'd marry me."_

_"I don't need to marry you to show you how I feel. Isn't the ring I gave you proof of that?"_

_She pulled the diamond solitaire off her finger and shoved it in front of his face. "You mean this ring?" Filled with rage, she threw it across the room. "There's your proof, Speed!"_

_He shook his head as he went to retrieve the ring. "Don't do something you're going to end up regretting," he said. "You're saying things in the heat of anger. You need to calm down."_

_She laughed venomously. "Oh, that's a good one coming from **Mr. Loses His Temper if Somebody Looks at Him the Wrong Way**!"_

_Speed spoke slowly in a low, controlled voice. "Am I losing my temper now? I'm totally calm. You're the one who is going crazy, Trixie."  
_

_"You bet your life I'm going crazy! You strung me along all this time. You made me a promise that you couldn't keep." She gazed at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I love you Speed and truly thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives together."_

_"We still can."_

_"No, we can't," she said, "not without being married. I don't want to be with you when you don't care enough about me to make a commitment." She continued to remove clothing from drawers and stuff them into her suitcase._

_He grabbed her wrist. "Will you stop for just one minute? Please?"_

_"Get your hand off me! I don't ever want you to touch me again!" she shouted; he recoiled from her as if he'd been burned._

_The pain was evident on his face as he slowly sat down on the bed. "Trixie, you know I'd never hurt you..."_

_She closed her eyes, he should only know how much he'd hurt her today. "Maybe not physically, but mentally you hurt me. When you told me you didn't want to get married, my world fell apart."_

_"Trixie, I don't understand my feelings. I care so much for you and don't want to lose you, but I also can't marry you. I'm sorry, I'm just not ready for this."_

_"Coward!" she spat. "Speed, you're almost twenty-three years old. When are you going to grow up? I find it ironic that you consider yourself man enough to have sex with me, but when it comes to getting married you suddenly morph into a little boy. I'm not going spend the rest of my life waiting for you to finally become an adult."_

_"I am an adult!" he countered._

_"I've yet to see any evidence of that."_

_Speed threw his hands up in defeat. "Whatever, Trixie." He trained his eyes on her. "I'll tell you one thing, if you leave me now I'll never take you back. It will be_ _ **over**_ _between us._ _ **For good.**_ _"_

_"That's fine with me!" With a slam, she shut her suitcase. "I'll send for the rest of my things." She picked up her bag and went to the front door. "Goodbye, Speed." Without looking back she went to her car._

_Her mind was in turmoil as she drove away from the one person she loved more than anything in the world. "He called my bluff; he let me go," she said sadly. "I really thought he'd try to stop me." Then another thought struck her. "He said he cared for me, but he never said he loved me." The tears fell even heavier. Her vision blurred. She pulled over to the side of the road and cried until there were no tears left._

_**End Flashback** _

Speed sipped his coffee and watched her; she seemed to be a million miles away. "You okay?"

She blinked a couple of times. "Yes, I'm fine. Just savoring this delicious omelet." She smiled; hoping he couldn't see that she was lying. "Didn't you have some big negotiation or something today?"

"This morning. We're finished for the day. The European group decided that they didn't want to work past four, their time. So, Dan and I set up another session for the same time tomorrow. We have to get to the office early just to appease them. But you gotta do what you gotta do."

She eyed him. "I bet you came by to see if I wanted to spend the afternoon with you, right?"

He shrugged. "You know me like a book. Yes, I was hoping we could grab some lunch and talk. I want us to be friends, Trixie. I don't want what happened yesterday to change anything. Someday soon, I hope, I'll be divorced and it'll be smooth sailing for us."

" _Us_? Speed, what makes you think there's an _us_?" she asked. The man was getting way too ahead of himself.

"I just figured..." he said with another shrug. "Trixie, we're so right for each other. I was hoping that maybe we could give things another chance."

"Speed, this is all going way too fast. I only planned on staying a couple of weeks. And you... What about the kids? How is all this going to affect them?"

"I can handle the kids. I..." Speed was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. He took it from his pocket, glanced at the number and frowned. "Hello... Yes, this is Gregory Racer... Uh huh... He what? Oh dear God, is he all right?... Yes, I'll get there right away..." His face was ashen as he shoved the phone back into his pocket.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Gregory; he's at Good Samaritan Medical Center. He was... he... he had an accident at school…"

"How is he?" she asked.

"They wouldn't tell me. All they said is that I need to get to the hospital as soon as I can." He ran his hand through his hair; a dizzy feeling threatened to overtake him. "What if he's hurt bad? What if he...he dies?" He held his car keys in a shaking hand.

"Speed, you're too upset to drive. I'll take you there," she said in a calm voice; although she didn't feel calm inside. "We can come back for your car later."

"Yeah, okay... That's probably a good idea."

"Did they call Victoria?"

"Huh?" He shook his head in an effort to clear it.

"Vicky... Did the hospital call her?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, didn't think to ask. I guess I should do that, right?"

Trixie had never seen him act this way; so out of control. Then she remembered what Lily said about how a parent reacts when their child is injured. _"Especially as he has no idea about Gregory's condition."_

He followed her into the parking garage; his cell phone clutched tightly in his hand. Trixie sped out of the garage while he called his wife. "No answer... Probably has her phone off." He waited for the cue to leave a message. "Vic, Gregory got hurt at school. They took him to Good Samaritan Medical Center. I'm on my way there now. Get there as soon as you can."

Trixie was amazed at how he could suddenly switch gears and sound so unemotional and calm when he left the message. _"I guess he didn't want to upset Victoria. All he needs is to have her get into an accident rushing to get to the hospital."_

She pulled the car into the emergency entrance. Luckily they managed to find a close spot. Speed jumped from the vehicle before Trixie shut off the engine. She sprinted behind him as he flew through the sliding glass doors.

He grabbed the first nurse that he saw. "My son..." he puffed, out of breath, "they called and told me he was here!"

The nurse held up her hand. "Calm down, sir. See that desk over there on the right?" He nodded; still breathless. "They'll have all the information on your son."

"Thank you." He rushed over to it. "My son's been hurt; they told me he was taken here."

The nurse looked up from her computer. "One moment, sir."

Speed leaned over the desk. "I don't have a moment, damn it! My kid's in your ER, hurt. Hell, he could be dying for all I know!"

Trixie stood behind him. He was making a scene, not that she could blame him. " _He's ready to blow his stack. That poor nurse doesn't know what she's in for._ "

There was a look of near insanity on Speed's face that the nurse couldn't help but notice. "Okay, just calm down. What's your son's name?"

"Gregory Racer, Jr. He's nine and all I know is that he had an accident on the school playground."

The nurse sighed and brought up a different screen on her computer monitor. "Racer, Gregory... Ah, here he is." She turned her attention back to Speed. "Mr. Racer, I'll just need your insurance card and some information on your son."

"Sure..." He whipped out his wallet and found the card.

The nurse took the insurance card and made a copy of it. "You need to fill out this paper work and, as his father, give permission for us to treat him."

"Can I see him first please?" Speed's blue eyes stared imploringly at her.

"Well... It's against procedure, but all right. I know how it is; I have a daughter not much older than your son."

Speed forced a smile. "Thank you."

"No problem. Just please fill out these papers as soon as you can."

She nodded her head in Trixie's directeion. "Is this your wife?"

"Her? No, she's nobody... just a friend," Speed said, not even realizing what he had just said.

Trixie winced; her feelings beyond hurt. " _He's upset_ ," she thought, trying to rationalize his words, " _and not thinking straight. He didn't mean it._ "

"Oh," the nurse said, giving her a sideways glance. "She'll have to wait here."

Speed turned to Trixie. "If Vicky shows up, send her in."

She nodded mutely. Suddenly she felt inconsequential. " _Like he said, I'm nobody._ " She sighed and took a seat in the waiting room.

"Right this way, Mr. Racer," the nurse motioned him to follow her. She led him to a cubicle where Gregory lay on an examination table; his eyes swollen and red from crying. Speed grimaced when he saw the boy's left leg which was twisted at an odd angle.

"Dad!" Gregory's lower lip quivered as he tried desperately to hold back the tears.

Speed ran to his side. He wanted more than anything to take him in his arms and comfort him. But not knowing the severity of his injuries he could only squeeze his hand. "What happened?"

"I was playin' on the swings an' I fell." He bit his lip as hard as he could so that he wouldn't cry but his effort was to no avail as he burst into tears. "I didn't mean to fall, Daddy, I didn't..." He gazed at his father; tears flowing down his cheeks. "I'm sorry."

Speed felt his own eyes filling and prayed that he'd be able to keep from breaking down. "It's okay, honey, it was an accident. You're gonna be all right."

"My leg hurts where I fell on it."

His father squeezed his hand tighter. "The doctors and nurses will make it all better, I promise."

"Mr. Racer?" a voice behind him asked.

Speed spun around. "Yes, I'm Mr. Racer."

The man, a physician, stuck out his right hand; Speed shook it. "I'm Dr. Morrison; the attending physician on your son's case."

"How badly is he hurt?"

"From a cursory examination it would seem that he has fractured some ribs and broken his left leg. We're going to take some x-rays and do a CT scan of his head, just to make sure there's not a concussion."

"Dear God..." a distraught Speed said; his heart breaking for his offspring. "Is he gonna be okay?"

"Yes. After a few weeks in a cast your son will be as good as new. He's young, Mr. Racer. Children heal much more quickly from these kind of injuries than adults." He glanced over at Gregory and smiled. "He'll be fine, I promise."

"Thanks... I'd just like to know how this happened, how he fell off the swings. He plays on them all the time and has never had an accident."

"I can't answer that for you. But perhaps the woman who arrived with him can. She's out in the waiting room. Short dark hair; wearing a green shirt."

"I'll go have a talk with her; I need to fill out these forms anyway."

He turned to Gregory. "I've got to go and fill out this paper work. The doctor is going to take care of you so you've got nothing to worry about. Will you be all right until I get back?"

"Yes." The boy had ceased his crying and forced himself to smile. "Dad, where's Mom?"

"She's on her way," Speed said; hoping like hell that she was. He left through the double-doors and went back to the waiting room. Within moments, Trixie was by his side.

"How is he?"

He glared at her. "He's in the ER, how do you think he is?" He pushed passed her and crossed the room where a fortyish woman with dark hair and a sea green shirt sat nervously checking her watch. He didn't bother to ask her name as he confronted her. "Excuse me, I'm Gregory's father. I'd like to know just what the hell happened today."

The woman's face reddened. "Mr. Racer... I'm so sorry. It all happened so fast. One minute he was running around the play ground and the next he was hanging upside down from the swing set. I ran to him, to tell him to stop, but he fell before I could get to him."

 **"Damn incompetence!"** he shouted. **"What's the matter with that frigging school? Can't they even bother to hire people who know how to do their jobs?"**

The woman's face became even redder; her eyes filled with tears. "I didn't mean for it to happen! Is it my fault that they have two playground attendants to supervise over two hundred kids? I've asked the school, more than once, to hire another attendant but the answer is always no."

" **To hell with you and that damned school!"** he screamed as he stormed away feeling more upset than he ever had in his life.

Trixie watched, in shock, as he went to the nurses' station and filled out the paperwork. " _I can't believe him. I've never seen him so mad."_ She felt sympathy for the distraught woman and wanted to go over and apologize for him. _"The last thing I need to do right now is to get Speed even angrier._ "

\---

Victoria raced up to the desk where Speed had just finished filling out the forms. "Greg! How is he?"

"Being worked on," he told her; his ire finally abated.

"I want to see him," she demanded.

"You will as soon as they're finished." He gazed at her intently. "Vic, he's gonna be fine."

She sighed deeply. "Thank God for that. Still, he's in the hospital so he must've been hurt."

"Yes, he was. He broke his left leg, along with a couple of ribs."

"Oh no... My poor baby. Did you see him?"

He nodded. "He put on a brave front and tried so hard to keep from crying; I think he didn't want me to get upset. But the poor little guy was so scared he couldn't help but cry." He noticed the sparkle of tears in Victoria's eyes. "Looks like he's not the only one who's been crying." With his index finger, he wiped a tear from her cheek. "He's going to be all right."

Victoria suddenly collapsed into his arms. "I was so scared, Greg... The school left a message saying that Gregory had been taken to the hospital. Then I got your message and I felt like I was going to die because I wasn't there when my son needed me. Why did I have my cell phone turned off? Why? I should've had it on."

He patted her back. "It's okay, Vic. You're here now, that's all that matters."

She pulled away from him and slowly nodded. "I suppose you're right." She took the cell phone from her purse and turned on the ringer. "To hell with the damn clients, my kids come first!"

He brushed a stray hair from her face. "I think that's something we both need to remember."

\---

Trixie watched the scene between Speed and Victoria feeling as if knives were being driven through her heart. _"I don't belong here."_ Needing to leave, she realized that the way she came in would take her right past the Racers. She glanced about the room; there had to be another way out. Sure enough there was a hallway that led to the front of the hospital. With a glance towards the couple; she picked up her purse and quickly exited. _"I'm sure he can get somebody to take him to pick up his car."_

Her mind was reeling as she walked down the hallway towards the front of the building. _"What just went on back there? Speed says they're getting divorced and that he doesn't love her, but then he's holding her in his arms. I'm so confused. This is just one big mess and I'm right in the middle of it."_


	12. Chapter 12

Speed and Victoria waited outside the cubicle while Dr. Morrison and the nurses were attending to their son. "Why is it taking so long? I want to see my baby," Victoria said anxiously.

"You heard what the nurse said, they're setting Gregory's leg and as soon as they're finished we can see him." He place a consoling arm around her. "Vic, you're so upset, you need to calm down. He's going to be fine. The CT scan came out negative; which means no concussion. A couple of busted ribs and broken leg, that's nothing to a kid. I remember when I broke my arm when I was around his age. I thought having a cast was the coolest thing ever. I even bragged to the kids in school about it. You should have seen how they all fought over who'd get to sign the thing first. Boy, did I feel like a big shot! Hey, want to bet that in a few days Gregory'll be bragging about all of this to his friends?"

"Greg, it's wonderful that you can be blasé' about this, but I can't. Maybe it's because you've gotten to see him already and I haven't. I keep picturing him lying on a gurney crying out in pain." She wiped a tear from her eye. "On the drive here that image kept popping into my head."

"I know what you mean; I kept seeing the same thing," he said with a little grin.

She returned the expression. "It's a wonder we both didn't have accidents."

Speed bit his lip; he knew that he never had to worry about that possibility. "Actually I didn't drive here. I was so upset I was literally shaking. So I got a ride." He hoped that Victoria would just assume it was Dan or another coworker who drove him. He breathed a sigh of relief when the Dr. Morrison approached them.

"Mr. Racer..."

"Doc, how's my kid?"

Dr. Morrison smiled. "Resting comfortably. His leg's been set and he's been given a mild sedative to calm him and ease the pain in his ribs. But overall he's doing fine."

"Thank God!" Victoria said.

"Are you Gregory's mother?" the doctor asked; a warm smile on his face.

Victoria nodded. "Yes. Can we see him?"

"Certainly." He led them into the cubicle. Gregory's left leg was in a cast and his eyes were closed.

"Baby!" Victoria exclaimed.

He opened his eyes and smiled at the sound of his mother's voice. "Mom!"

A flood of relief washed over her as she wrapped the child in her arms. "You had some day, didn't you sweetie?"

"Uh huh. I did a really dumb thing. Sorry."

She smiled as she pulled away and brushed her hands through his hair. "It's okay. We all do dumb things sometimes."

"Didja see the cast, Mom? Isn't it cool?"

"I don't know if I'd call it cool..." she said. _"Greg was right. This is all one big adventure to our son."_

Speed strode up and stood on the other side of the boy. "Wow, look at the cast. It's something! You'll have to have all your friends sign it."

"Uh huh," Gregory said. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. "The doctor gave me a needle before; it didn't hurt. But it's making me tired."

"Why don't you close your eyes and take a nap, honey?" Victoria said.

Dr. Morrison approached. "Folks, we'd like to admit Gregory overnight."

"Overnight?" Victoria's heart dropped. "I was hoping to have him home with his family."

"I agree with my wife," Speed said. “Is that really necessary?"

"Yes, I think it is. However one of you may spend the night with him. We can set up a cot next to his bed."

Victoria looked imploringly at Speed; he nodded. "I think it's a good idea for you to stay with him." She gave him a grateful smile. "Do you need me to go home and bring you a nightgown or something?"

"I've got my gym clothes in the car. I think I can wear them; they're pretty comfortable," she said.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're still going to the gym? I thought you only did that to appease me."

"Well...at first that's why I went. But after a few months I realized that I liked it. It's a great stress reliever," she remarked.

"That it is."

\---

Before going to Victoria's car, Speed went out to the ER waiting room so that he could apologize to Trixie for his earlier rudeness. He looked about the waiting area; there was no sign of her. "Maybe she went to the restroom." After a wait of a few minutes it was obvious that she wasn't in there. With a sigh he headed outside and found that her car was gone. "I guess I really must've pissed her off if she left without saying a word." He sighed again before he went to look for Victoria's SUV. Luckily, it was in the second row, not far from where he stood. He retrieved the gym bag and headed back in the hospital wondering what he should do about his car which still sat in the parking lot of Trixie's hotel. "I guess maybe I can get Dan or Sparky to give me a ride."

His mind was on Trixie as he carried the bag back to the ER. "I gotta call her and apologize. I didn't mean to act the way I did, I was out of my mind with worry over Gregory. I hope I can make her understand that she had nothing to do with any of it. Shoot, because I acted like a jerk I might have blown any chance I had of getting back with her."

\---

While Speed and Victoria were awaiting news on Gregory, Trixie drove towards her hotel, her mind in turmoil _._ "I just don't get him. I can understand his wanting to comfort Victoria, but there seemed to be more to it than that. Does he still care about her?" She tried to rationalize that thought. "Of course he cares for her; she's the mother of his children. How should I expect him to feel?" She sighed deeply as she thought of Gregory and Stephanie. Could she involve herself with a man who would always have a link to his ex-wife because of their kids? "Victoria hates me as it is. I can only imagine how she'd feel if Speed and I ever got involved. Involved? I think I'm getting ahead of myself. I know Speed said that he wants that, but I've got the feeling that he really doesn't know what he wants." 

She continued her drive, wishing she had somebody she could talk to about the situation. On impulse she turned the car down a side street and headed away from the heart of the city. "There's one person who knows Speed better than he knows himself."

 _\---_  
  
Speed pulled Victoria's SUV into his parents' driveway. He'd called his mother while he and Victoria were waiting to see Gregory. Mom Racer, naturally, was upset and it took him a while to assure her that her grandson was going to be fine. __"Poor Mom, she thought that once we were all adults she'd have less worries. Unfortunately, she still worries about us kids and now has the grandkids added to the mix."  
  
She greeted him at the door, obviously concerned about her grandson. "Hi honey," she said; kissing him on the cheek. "How's Gregory?"

"They're keeping him over night, just to make sure he's okay. Vicky's staying with him."

Mom breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. At least he'll have his mother with him if he gets scared."

Speed chuckled. "Scared? I have a feeling that he thinks being in the hospital is fun. You should have heard him go on about having a cast on his leg. His mother and I on the other hand..." He shook his head as he remembered his reaction when told Gregory had been injured. "When the hospital called and told me he'd gotten hurt I felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest. I was never so scared in my life."

"I know, sweetie. It's so frightening having your child get hurt, you feel their pain," Mom said. "Now come on inside; I just made a fresh pot of coffee."

"Coffee... I really need that right now." He followed her into the kitchen and took his usual seat at the table. _"Old habits die hard,"_ he mused.

"In case you're wondering, Steph's in the garage with Pops. She was helping me bake a cake but got bored."

"The attention span of a six year old isn't very long," Speed commented.

"Yes, that's for sure. We did get to spend some time talking. She's upset about Gregory."

"I'll bet. She must have been on the playground when he fell."

"She was, but that's not what has her upset. She told me that he fell on purpose and that she feels bad that she didn't try to stop him."

"Fell on purpose? Why would he do that?" Speed wondered.

Mom shrugged. "Stephanie refused to tell me. But whatever the reason, it must be something very serious for him to risk his life on that stunt."

"You know, I think I'll have a little talk with Stephie. Maybe take her out for a burger and ice cream and see if I can wrangle some information from her."

"Good luck," Mom said, as he gulped down the last of his coffee and headed out to the garage. She hoped he'd be able to get something from the little girl, although she had a feeling that the events of the day were related to Speed and Victoria's marital troubles. _"They try to hide it but it's so obvious. The tension whenever they're together is unbearable."_ She sighed deeply as she thought about the circumstances surrounding Speed's marriage.

_**Flashback** _

_Mom Racer stirred the tomato sauce that simmered in a sauce pan. She spooned a little of it into her mouth. "Needs more oregano." She was about to sprinkle some of the herb into the sauce when she heard the sound of a powerful car pull in the driveway._

_Within a few moments the front door opened and a male voice called out. "Mom?"_

_"In the kitchen," she answered._

_Her middle son strode up to her and kissed her on the cheek before opening the lid of the sauce pan, sticking his index finger in and bringing it to his mouth. "Not bad, but it's missing something," he commented._

_"Thank you for pointing that out," Mom replied dryly. "And what have I told you about washing your hands before sticking your fingers in the food I'm cooking?”_

_His face reddened. "Sorry."_

_His mother shook her head. Why was it so hard for her sons to follow simple rules? "You've got some mail; it's on the table in the foyer."_

_Speed smiled. "Hopefully it's mostly junk." He waited a beat before continuing. "I didn't come by for my mail, though. I've got some news."_

_Mom's curiosity was piqued. "News?"_

_Her son nodded. "Yep. When Pops gets home I'll tell you."_

_"Sounds like big news."_

_He again nodded. "It is."_

_"Well your father should be home soon."_

_\---_

_Speed's parents stole glances at him while he ate his spaghetti and meatballs. They were dying to know what his big announcement was about. It was obvious he wasn't going to tell them until after dinner. There was tension in the room; any conversation that occurred seemed to be forced._

_Spritle could sense something was going on as well. He watched his parents as they in turn watched his brother. No longer able to contain himself he asked, "What's goin' on, why is everyone so quiet? Pops, why are you and mom lookin' at Speedy so funny?"_

_Putting down his fork, Speed cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I've been leaving you in such suspense, I figured we'd eat before I told you my big news." He grinned broadly. "It hasn't been easy 'cause I'm, like, ready explode."_

_"Oh my," Mom said, "please don't hold back any longer."_

_"Yeah Speedy," Spritle's voice rose with excitement, "tell us what's goin' on!"_

_"Okay," Speed said, feeling very giddy all of a sudden. "Mom, Pops... I'm gettin' married."_

_Mom's mouth dropped open from shock. "You're what?"_

_"Getting married. I asked Vicky to marry me this morning and she said yes. Isn't that great?" The shake of Pops' head was barely perceptible, but Speed noticed it. "Don't you like Vicky?" he asked with a bit of anger._

_"I don't know her well enough to know whether or not I like her. I've only met her a handful of times. Hell, you've only been dating her, what... a couple of months?"_

_"Almost nine weeks," Speed informed him. "And it's long enough for me to know that I want to spend the rest of my life with her."_

_"Son," Mom said softly, "nine weeks isn't much time to get to know someone. You went with Trixie all those years and you didn't want to marry her."_

_"Trixie and I had um... issues. Incompatibility issues. Looking back I realize it was a relationship that was doomed from the start. When I met Vicky I knew, deep inside, that she's the girl for me. The girl I want to marry."_

_"You really gettin' married?" an astonished Spritle asked._

_Speed nodded. "Yes I am. Whether certain parties like it or not." He glared at his parents. "It's a shame they can't trust my judgment to know what I want to do with my life. It's a shame they can't accept the fact that I'm a grown man and will do what I think is right for me."_

_"Speed, that's not fair," Mom reached across the table and lightly touched his hand. "Your father and I love you and just want what's best for you. We know you're an adult and we have no say over what you do with your life. We're just concerned that you might be rushing into things, that's all."_

_"Mom, I know what I'm doing." He sighed and shook his head. "I honestly thought that you and Pops would be happy that I was finally settling down. I thought that you'd congratulate me. I guess I was wrong."_

_Mom gazed at him. "I want to congratulate you and tell you I'm thrilled for you. But I have this feeling that you're holding something back from us and, whatever it is, it's the reason you're getting married."_

_"You're right... There is something I haven't told you." His parents leaned in as if they thought he was going to whisper to them. He took a deep breath before he spoke. "Vicky's pregnant."_

_For a moment the air seemed to have been sucked from the room as his family stared at him. Spritle was the first one to speak. "Wow! Speedy, you're gonna have a kid?"_

_Pops turned to him. "Spritle go to your room."_

_"Aw, Pops do I have to? This is just startin' to get good."_

_"Go to your room._ _**NOW** _ _!"_

_The youngest Racer gulped and rose from the table. As he passed his brother he whispered, "Good luck." Speed gave him a little smile then turned to face his irate father and worried mother._

_**"Pregnant!"**_ _Pops bellowed. "What the hell is wrong with you? Were you so desperate to get laid that you forgot all I told you about protection?"_

_Speed winced at his father's words. "It was an accident."_

_"Accident!" Mom exclaimed. "Your girlfriend is pregnant with your child and all you can say is that it's an accident? Gregory, you don't know how disappointed I am in you right now. How could you be so careless?"_

_Speed looked down at his dinner plate; his mother's words hurting even more than his father's. "Sorry Mom," he said softly. He then straightened up and peered into her eyes. "But I can't change what happened. And I don't want to. I'm thrilled about the idea of becoming a father. Having a kid is something I've always wanted, along with a great woman to spend the rest of my life with. Now I've got both."_

_"But you barely know each other," Mom protested._

_"I know her well enough to know that I want her to be my wife," he countered._

_"Speed," Pops said, "would you have asked Vicky to marry you if she wasn't pregnant?"_

_Speed sighed deeply. "Yeah, probably. I mean not now, but in a few months." He closed his eyes and slowly opened them. "No, forget that. Yes. Yes, I'd have asked her to marry me even if she wasn't pregnant. I love Vicky, Pops, more than I ever loved any other girl."_

_"Even more than you loved Trixie?" Mom asked softly._

_A pained expression crossed Speed's face. "Yes, much more than I ever loved Trixie." His eyes narrowed a bit as he remembered their breakup and the anger that still festered inside him over it. His voice was filled with bitterness as he said, "Vicky would never dump me the way Trixie did."_

_Now it was his mother's turn to close her eyes._ _**"He still has feelings for Trixie, even if he won't admit it. I hope he can get past them for his and Vicky's sake; not to mention their child's."** _

_"Mom, Pops, what happened can't be changed. You know, at first, I was hoping that Vicky would end the pregnancy 'cause I was petrified. But when I thought about it I realized that I wanted her to go through with it. I wanted us to raise that baby together." The smile returned to his face. "So, this morning I bought her a ring and asked her to marry me." Tears glistened in his eyes. "She said yes and it's the happiest day of my life."_

_Mom sighed. "You're right, what happened can't be changed. Your father and I can't stop you from getting married, we know that. As your parents, we're supposed to support you and we will." She glanced at her husband who scowled. "Right, dear?"_

_Speed's father grunted. "I guess we've got no choice, damn kid's gonna do what he wants anyway."_

_Speed grinned. "Thanks." He looked at both of them, his eyes bright and shining. "You guys are gonna be grandparents. That's got to make you at least a little bit happy. Mom, I know you've always wanted grandchildren. I remember you saying once that you wondered if Rex was married and if he had any kids. How much you wished that if it was true, that you could see them."_

_"I know, son," she said. "It's just that this is all so sudden. You come here and tell us you're getting married and then you say that Vicky's pregnant. It's a lot to digest all at once." She rose from the table; went to him and gave him a big hug. "I love you, Speed. I really, truly want you to be happy with your life."_

_"I am, Mom. Very happy."_

_"Good. And well...I have to admit that there's a part of me that is excited about being a grandma." She chuckled. "Although another part of me feels like I'm way too young to have a grandchild."_

_"Aw Mom, you are young and beautiful," Speed said feeling so relieved that she seemed to be starting to accept the situation. His father; that might very well be another story. "What about you, Pops? Aren't you even a little excited about becoming a grandpa?"_

_"Hmpf!" he said, grumbling. "Like your mother said, I'm way too young to be a grandfather." Then he broke into a crooked smile. "Though, I am looking damn forward to it. I just didn't think it would be so soon. There's not a whole helluva lot I can do about it. Sooo... I guess I haven't got much choice but to accept the situation and offer my congratulations."_

_Speed jumped up and hugged his father. "Pops, you're gonna be a wonderful grandpa!" He glanced up at the clock. "Almost seven, I gotta go. I told Vicky I'd meet her at her place at seven-thirty." He hugged both his parents again. "Call you tomorrow!"_

_They watched out the window as he drove off. "He has no idea what he's in for," Mom said._

_"Nope." Pops smiled a bit wickedly. "He'll sure find out soon enough...Grandma!"_

_Mom sighed as he put his arm around her. "Grandma... You know that does sound kind of nice. Can you believe our little boy is all grown up and going to be a daddy?" A tear fell from her eye as she prayed that Speed was doing the right thing by marrying a girl he barely knew.  
_  
 **End flashback**

Mom stared into space. "I'd never tell him, _I told you so_ , even though it's the truth. I wonder how much better their marriage would have fared had Vicky and Greg gotten to know each other better before they married?"

  
\--- __  
  
Trixie hesitated a moment before ringing the doorbell. She still wasn't sure if it was a good idea to come here, but she felt as if she had nobody else to talk to about the situation. _"I just wonder how forthcoming he'll be about his best friend."_

The door opened. "Trixie!" Sparky exclaimed; his eyes seeming to light up. "This is pleasant surprise. Come on in." He motioned her into the living room and told her to take a seat on the couch. "So what brings you out here?"

"I don't know if you heard, but Speed's son was in an accident at school today."

Sparky's eyes widened. "He what? Is he all right?"

Trixie shrugged. "I have no idea, honestly. I drove Speed to the ER because he was so upset. When we got there he... well, he was pretty rude to me. I know he was worried and I don't have kids so maybe his reaction was normal. I ended up leaving before I found out how Gregory was doing.”

"Knowing Speed he probably freaked out in the ER; pretty much lost control, right?" She nodded. "Geez, you'd think after all these years he'd learn how to control that damned temper of his.

"I guess it's just a part of who he is." She cocked her head to the side. "Hey, you called him Speed, not Greg."

Sparky shrugged. "I know. He hates when I do it, too. But I can't help it. He'll always be Speed to me."

Trixie nodded. "I know what you mean. Even though Greg's his real name it just doesn't seem to fit him anymore. Did he really go back to using it because he quit racing?"

Sparky nodded and spoke softly, "Yeah..."

_**Flashback** _

_"I can't believe you really did it," Sparky said. "Just because some rookie died due to his own reckless behavior, you quit?"_

_"It's more complicated than that," Speed explained as he cleaned out his locker even though the track owners had told him he could keep using it for as long as he wanted to. He declined as he wanted to completely cut himself off from racing. "You wouldn't understand."_

_"Try me."_

_Speed sighed and turned to face him. "Sparky, my life doesn't belong to_ _just_ _me anymore. I have a wife and two kids. If I get killed in a race what's going to happen to them?"_

_"You can get killed falling in your bathtub. Did you know that most accidents happen in the home, Speed?"_

_"Greg."_

_"Huh?" Sparky asked._

_"Greg. It's my name, Gregory Racer. Don't tell me you've forgotten that. It's what my folks named me and what I was called before I went pro."_

_"I know that, geez. What I want to know is, why? Why change your name when we're used to calling you Speed?"_

_"Because I am no longer a professional racer and I see no reason to go by the name I used when I was racing. My legal name is Gregory Racer. It's the name that is on my driver's license, my bills, my mortgage... On my kid's birth certificates Gregory is the first name of their father, not Speed," he said rather coldly. "So I would appreciate it if you and every other freaking person on this shitty planet would respect me enough to use the name that was given to me at birth!" He went to close the locker and accidentally slammed it on his right index finger. " **Damn it!** "_

_Sparky flinched. "Ouch. That must hurt."_

_Speed glared at him. "No kidding."_

_"I'll get some ice...Greg," Sparky said. On the way to the ice machine he bumped into Pops. "Oops, sorry!"_

_"You okay?" the Racer patriarch asked. "You look upset."_

_"It's Speed, he just told me that he wants to be called Greg."_

_Pops shrugged. "After what happened yesterday nothing surprises me. I guess it's logical that if he's not going to race anymore that he'd go back to using his given name. I have to tell you, his mother will be thrilled. It upset her when he stopped using it because Gregory was the name of her favorite uncle who passed away when she was in her teens."_

_"That's all well and good, Pops. But it's not the fact that he wants to go back to using his real name, it's the way he went about it. He's really, really angry. I think maybe somebody should talk to him or something."_

_"Leave him be. He needs to work out his problems on his own. You interfere; he'll bite your head off and things will just get worse."_

_"I suppose you're right, Pops. I just hate to see him so upset like this. I'm worried about him."_

_Pops sighed. "I know. But, he'll come around. He'll stew a bit and work out his feelings. He always does."_

_**End Flashback**_ __  
  
"Well, no matter what we call him, he's still the same guy, you know?" Sparky remarked. "I just feel bad that you got caught in the crossfire between him and whoever was the target of his temper tantrum."

"That would probably be half the people in the ER. He really did seem to be bordering on completely losing it. He finally calmed down when Victoria showed up." Trixie tried to conceal the bitterness in her voice.

"Huh. That's a bit of a surprise. Although once upon a time she did have the incredible skill of being able to cajole him out of a lousy mood. Maybe she still has a bit of that magic in spite of their being separated." Sparky winced, it wasn't his place to mention anything about Speed and Victoria's marital troubles. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have just said that."

"It's okay, Sparky. Speed told me all about what's been going on between him and Victoria." She lowered her voice. "He also told me that he still loves me and wants us to get back together."

"Oh wow...I can't believe him. What did you say when he told you that?"

"What could I say? He's a married man and I don't get involved with married men. I don't even want to think about his kids and how they'd feel. I wouldn't want to see them get hurt any more than they will be when their parents finally split. Speed doesn't seem all that much concerned, but I am."

Sparky felt a twinge of anger. "At least one of you cares about them."

"Aw Sparky, that's not fair. Speed loves those kids, it's just that I don't know if he's thinking very clearly right now."

"Maybe it's because he's not using his brain to think, if you know what I mean."

"Huh? You think his feelings for me are only physical?"

Sparky sighed. He had to tread very carefully so as not to show how he really felt. "No, that's not what I meant. Well, maybe I meant a little of it. Trix, Speed and Vicky haven't shared a bedroom in ages. I'm sure he's...um...feeling the physical effects of that. But I think he still does care for you, a lot." He took a beat and asked a question that he doubted he really wanted to know the answer to, though he felt he had to ask, "How do you feel about him?"


	13. Chapter 13

Sparky watched as Trixie pursed her lips and turned away. He asked the question again, "Trixie, how do you feel about Speed? Do you still love him?"

She closed her eyes and spoke softly, "I never stopped loving him." Because her eyes were closed she didn't see the hurt expression that crossed Sparky's face. "Even that day I left I still loved him. But I respected myself too much to live with a man who didn't love me enough to marry me." She sighed. "I really thought I was over him. Then, when I saw his face again after all these years... it all came rushing back. I realized how much I was still in love with him."

"Oh," Sparky said; keeping his expression neutral, although inside his heart was breaking. "So, does this mean you're going to stay and wait for him? He's been separated for a few months now; I'm sure the divorce isn't far off. He won't be a married man anymore once that happens."

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Sparky. I only planned on staying a couple of weeks while the real estate tried to sell my father's house. They said that because of the location and the fact that it's in mint condition that it should be a fast sell."

"What happens if it takes longer than that to sell?" Sparky asked.

Trixie shrugged. "I don't know. I'm trying not to think of that possibility. I suppose I could let the real estate handle it. They could fax me the paper work when the house finally sells. I could also stay. I've missed being here and can feel myself getting comfortable. This really is the only true home I've ever known. And that's what I'm afraid of; if I stay too long I'll never leave."

Sparky smiled inwardly at that possibility. "Is there really anything wrong with that?"

"I don't know. I'm so confused. I do really love being back; I've missed my friends so much."

"Everyone's missed you, too. When I told Jeanine that Speed said he'd run into you at that restaurant she was thrilled. You don't know how much I... we... missed you. It's a shame we lost touch."

"I'm sorry, Sparky, but at the time I felt I needed to make a clean break. You have no idea how much I regretted that. There were so many times I wanted to pick up the phone and call you or Janine, but I was afraid that because of the way I left that there would be a lot of animosity towards me."

"Never," Sparky said in a soft voice.

"Really? You're Speed's closest friend; I'm sure you must have felt some anger towards me for leaving him the way I did," she said.

Sparky shook his head. "None whatsoever. Speed was a total jerk. I even told him that."

Trixie's eyes widened as she could only imagine Speed's reaction to those words. "What did he do when you said that?"

"Not what you're thinking he did. When I told him that he broke down in tears and said I was right; that he was a jerk. It broke my heart to see him that way. He was a real mess and there wasn't much I could do but be there for him."

"Oh Sparky, I feel terrible. I had no idea he took it so bad."

The mechanic smiled. "Don't beat yourself up over it. He got what he deserved for stringing you along the way he did. Besides after a month or so of moping around and depressing the hell out of anyone he came in contact with he met Vicky. Five months later they were married."

"And soon after that Gregory came along," Trixie said wistfully. "The whole reason why he married her. . ."

Sparky could clearly see the distress on her face. "I think that might have been the catalyst for the reason why he married her when he did. But I also have this feeling that even if Vicky hadn't gotten pregnant they probably still would have ended up getting married, just not so soon. I know it might be hard for you to believe, but at one time they were the ideal couple. I've never seen two people so in sync with each other. There were times where they were actually finishing each other's sentences."

"I didn't know that," she said. "It sounds like they really were in love."

"They were. Sometimes I wonder if they still are."

"It sure seemed that way today." She slowly shook her head. "Sparky what am I doing? I must be out of my mind to even think about involving myself with him again."

He gazed at her. "We can't choose who we fall in love with, Trixie."

She thought she detected a note of sadness in his voice. "You sound like you're speaking from experience."

"I am." She should only know how many years he'd been in love with her and how much he hated himself for carrying a torch for his best friend's ex-girlfriend. "No matter how hard you try, you can't tell your heart how to feel."

"So what do you do about it?"

There was more than a trace of bitterness in Sparky's voice, "Learn to live with it, I guess. In my case I was kinda lucky because the object of my affections ended up leaving town, so that made it easier. Although the feelings will always be there, I'm doing okay."

"I'm glad you're dealing with it, Sparky. Now if only I could learn to live with my feelings. I'm so afraid I'm going to end up acting on them and hurting not only myself, but a lot of other people."

He took hold of her hand and squeezed it; wishing that he could tell her how he truly felt. "Trix, I'm here for you if you ever need a friend to talk to or even just a cup of coffee."

"I just might take you up on that sometime, Sparky."

\---

Speed and Stephanie sat outside at a brightly colored table by the playground area of **Happy Burger**. The little girl was thrilled because her parents seldom allowed her or her brother to eat fast food, so this was a rare treat for her. "My hamburger was really good, Daddy!" she said. "An' I just love my ice cream!"

He smiled. "I'm glad, Kitten." He noticed Stephanie watching children in the play area going up and down the slide which was shaped like giraffe's neck with the head at the top of the ladder. "You want to go play for a bit?"

She shook her head. "Nope. I'm gonna eat my ice cream."

Her father laughed. "Of course, ice cream is the most important thing in the world!"

She giggled. "If it's choc'lit, yeah! But it's not as important as being with you, Daddy!"

"Thank you, sweetheart. We don't get enough time together, just you and me." Speed had been trying to figure out a way to broach the subject of Gregory's fall from the swings. Stephanie hadn't said much about it, except to ask if her brother and mother would be out of the hospital by the time she got home from school tomorrow. He figured that now would be as good a time as any to see if he could find out why the boy purposely injured himself. "So... Were you on the playground when your brother fell?"

"Uh huh. Everybody goes out on the playground at the same time, even us little kids. I was playing right by the swings with Tina and Caitlyn an' saw him climb on top of them. Mrs. Silverstein told him to come down but he wouldn't listen to her."

"Mrs. Silverstein?"

"Yeah, she's the one of the ladies who watches us when we're on the playground. She's really nice. She went with Gregory to the hospital. Did you see her there?"

"Yes," Speed said feeling very guilty for the way he had treated the woman. He made a mental note to call her and apologize for his behavior. "What happened after he climbed on top of the swings, honey?"

"He was hanging upside down from the swing set and then he fell." She looked down at the table. "I didn't know that was his plan until right before he fell off them."

"Plan?" Speed asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm not s'posed to tell you 'cause it's a secret," the child said.

"Steph, I know it's important to keep a secret, but I think in this case you can tell me. I really need to know what happened."

"Okay... " She gazed up at her father with big, round eyes. "Gregory said that he had a plan that would stop you and mommy from getting a divorce."

Speed eyes went just as wide. "A what?"

"A divorce. Gregory said that you and mommy were gonna get divorced an' that you were gonna go away with Aunt Trixie and we'd never see you again. Gregory said he had a plan that would make you and Mommy stay married. When he climbed on the swings he yelled, _Steph, watch this, it's my plan!"_ She burst into tears. "I shoulda stopped him or told Mrs. Silverstein but I didn't want you to leave, Daddy, so I let him do it. I'm sorry!"

"Oh God... Stephie... " Speed said as he held the crying child in his arms. "You know I love you kids and would never leave you."

The little girl looked up at him. "But Gregory said that you were going to be Aunt Trixie's boyfriend again like you were before you met Mommy."

Speed felt shock that his children were so aware of the marital strife occurring between him and Victoria. He knew he had to choose his words very carefully. "Kitten, Aunt Trixie and I are old friends. Yes, she was once my girlfriend but that was a long time ago. She's in town because she's helping her father sell a house."

"So, is she gonna leave after that?"

"I don't know, honey. But no matter what she does, it has nothing to do with you and your brother. Tomorrow when he comes home the four of us will sit down as a family and talk about this, okay?"

"You and Mommy aren't gonna be mad at us, are you?"

"No, of course not sweetheart! You've done nothing to make us angry with you." He chuckled a little. "Well, maybe your brother did. That was a very foolish stunt that he pulled and we'll discuss that along with anything else you've got on your mind. Everything's gonna be all right, I promise."

"Okay, Daddy." She gave him a hug. Speed returned it and they both settled down to finish their ice cream. Stephanie looked up at him and giggled. "You got choc'lit syrup on your face! It looks funny!"

Speed grinned; amazed at how quickly a child's mood could change. He took a napkin from the holder and wiped the syrup off. "That better?"

\---

Victoria lay in the cot the hospital had provided and listened to Gregory's steady breathing. "Poor baby at least doesn't seem to be in any pain and is able to sleep." She attempted to do the same but everything that had happened still weighed heavily upon her. "The last thing I thought I'd be doing is spending the night in the hospital with my son. " She tried to block out the noises coming from the hallway. Even though the door was shut she could still hear the activity going on outside the room."I doubt I'll get much sleep, but that doesn't matter as long as Gregory does." The events of the day replayed themselves over in her mind. The sheer terror she felt when she'd first gotten the message that Gregory had been injured and the relief when Greg told her that the boy's injuries weren't severe. Greg. She sighed. If he hadn't been there to calm her she had no idea what she would have done. "I forgot what a wonderful man he can be. He really was there when I needed him. He was strong and comforting. Just like he was once upon a time; before everything started to fall apart... before I caught him with that... that Paisley person."

She turned away from her son; memories of Speed's betrayal still vividly fresh in her mind and the pain as sharp as ever.  
 _  
_ _ **Flashback**_

_Victoria and two of her agents enjoyed a rare lunch together at the Hotel Cambridge's upscale restaurant. The lunch was in celebration of a deal that had been made with one of the more prestigious home builders in the area. The waiter brought over a bottle of the restaurant's finest wine. The women toasted their good fortune._

_"We are going to be on Easy Street!" Gladys Weaver exclaimed._

_"I'll say!" Chloe Cassidy agreed._

_"This deal will definitely make Four Palms one of the top real estates in the county; maybe even the state," Victoria said. She couldn't wait to tell Greg. When she had called him earlier his secretary told her that he was in a meeting and wasn't sure what time he'd be available. Not wanting to disturb him, she decided against calling his cell phone._

_"Vicky," Gladys said, "isn't that your husband over there?" She motioned towards a cozy corner booth where Speed was deep in conversation with a very young woman._

_The color drained from Victoria's face and she could barely speak. "Yes, that's him," she whispered. Her stomach churned as she watched her husband lean in and whisper something in the young woman's ear. Naturally, she couldn't hear what was said, but it was obviously something intimate as the girl smiled seductively at him and nodded. Feeling as if she was going to be sick, Victoria quickly rose. "Excuse me; I need to use the restroom." She fought back tears as she urgently made her way across the restaurant. At the hall that led to the restrooms, she stopped and watched as her husband nuzzled the young woman's neck. **"I don't believe this."** She turned and pushed open the door to the ladies room; went inside a stall and cried._

_Nearly fifteen minutes passed before Victoria exited the bathroom. She wished she could escape without having to go back to her table and face the women who worked for her._ _ **"This is so embarrassing. I can only imagine what they're saying about me catching my husband with another woman."**_ _She sighed and slowly left the hallway. Looking towards the booth she saw Speed sign a credit card receipt. He and the young woman got up from the table. With his hand lightly caressing her back, they walked towards the elevators._ _ **"They're going up to a room. How could he do this to me?"**_

_\---_

_Victoria stiffened when she heard the whir of the garage door open and a car pull into it. Her anger had festered all afternoon and was about to explode to volcanic proportions. "Good thing my folks have the kids for the weekend. I wouldn't want my babies to find out that their father isn't the man they think he is."_ _She steeled herself as she heard Speed's footsteps in the hall._

_"Vic?" he called out._

_"In the kitchen,_ _**dear** _ _," she answered with forced cheerfulness._

_There was a broad smile on his face as strode into the kitchen; leaned down and kissed her. "You're looking exceptionally beautiful today." She said nothing. "Jill told me you called. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to call you back. Damn meeting went on forever."_

_"You poor thing," Victoria said, "you had such a rough day."_

_"Yeah, they really know how to keep the pressure on. So, what did you call me about?_

_"I wanted to tell you that we got the_ _ **Professional Home Builders**_ _account."_

_"You did? Oh that's great." He hugged her; her body went rigid, not that he noticed it._

_"A couple of the agents and I went to lunch to celebrate," she said._

_"That's nice. I hope you enjoyed it because you really deserve to. Where did you go?"_

_"We went to the Hotel Cambridge."_

_Speed blanched but tried to exude a calm exterior. "That's a nice place. A bit expensive, but the food is excellent."_

_"Yes it is. You know, I really like the seating arrangements. How they have large tables in the open areas for business people and smaller, more intimate settings in the corners for couples. Very romantic." She watched as he bit his lip and lowered his eyes. "Especially for husbands who are dining with women who aren't their wives. Not that you would know anything about that being the fine, upstanding, devoted spouse that you are."_

_Speed gulped. "Vic, I... "_

_"You what, Greg? You didn't think I'd find out that you were having an affair? Is that why you were so gung-ho about my buying the real estate? Sure, let the little woman open her own business, it will be such a nice diversion to keep her from finding out what a filthy, lying philanderer her husband is!"_

_"Vicky, you've got it all wrong. There's nothing going on between Paisley and me. We're just coworkers, that's all."_

_"Liar!" she hissed. "I saw the way you two were acting. The sweet nothings you whispered in her ear. I saw you get into the elevator with her. So don't even try to lie your way out of it!" She burst into tears. "I can't believe you'd do this to me... That you'd cheat on me and be so brazen about it. You didn't even care that someone might have seen you with that woman... hell... child! Just how old is that little girl, Greg? Seventeen?"_

_"She's almost twenty... he muttered, "and nothing happened between us, I swear!"_

_"Another lie! Don't tell me that you got a room and just watched TV. A man doesn't go to a hotel room with a beautiful young girl and do nothing. Especially a man with your over-active libido!"_

_Speed sighed and joined Victoria at the table. "Okay, Vic... I'm not going to lie to you anymore. I'm going to tell you everything. Just remember that you probably won't like it."_

_"I already don't like it," she growled. "Just tell me the damn truth for once!"_

_"All right... Well, I do find Paisley to be very, very attractive. The first time I saw her I was just... Wow! She was cute, attentive, smart and had the sexiest Australian accent. The whole package turned me on. The fact that she was just as attracted to me didn't help things any." He started talking faster. At this point, he just wanted to get everything out in the open and be done with it. "Interpol sent her from their Melbourne office to work on a special project with me. We shared my office which brought us even closer together. I didn't mean for anything to happen and, in fact, resisted any urge I had for us to get involved. But you were working long hours at the real estate and I was lonely... "_

_"Lonely? You've got friends. Why didn't you call one of them? I'm sure someone, Sparky or Dan maybe, would have been glad to get together with you for a drink or game of golf."_

_"That's not the kind of lonely I meant," Speed pointed out to her. "Paisley was alone. I was alone. You know what happens in those situations, Vicky."_

_Victoria shook her head. "I wouldn't know as the thought of cheating on you would never cross my mind. I believe in the sanctity of marriage, Greg. I thought you did, too."_

_"Of course I do! Which is why when I went back to her room today nothing happened. Sure, we kissed a little but that's it."_

_"That's enough!" A strangled cry escaped from her throat at the thought of him kissing another woman. "I'm sure those kisses were far from innocent, Greg. And I do have to wonder just how far you went before your conscience finally kicked in."_

_Speed squirmed in his seat. They had gone far, very far. "I didn't sleep with her. That's all that matters."_

_"To you, maybe. But to me? It matters a lot. You wanted to sleep with her and you damned well almost did."_

_He stared down at the table, unable to face her. "What do you want me to say, Vic? I shouldn't have let things get out of hand. I should've told Paisley right from the start that I was unavailable. But I didn't and I'm very sorry about that. I'm also sorry I let my physical desires get the best of me. I'm sorry that I took our sacred vows of marriage so lightly. I'm such a cad; can you ever forgive me?"_

_"A cad?" She laughed bitterly. "This is all like some old, poorly acted movie. Your words are empty and hollow, Greg. I don't believe for one minute that you're sorry. I think you enjoyed that little girl's attention; reveled in it even. You want me to forgive you? I'm not sure I can, at least not now. One thing's for sure, even if I do eventually forgive you, I'll never be able to forget." She got up from the table and went into the bedroom; no longer angry just incredibly hurt. She collapsed onto the bed; from the kitchen she could hear anguished sobs._

_**End Flashback** _

Victoria wiped a tear from her eye. After two years she thought that the pain would have lessened, but it hadn't. Yes, she did wind up forgiving him, though in the back of her mind the affair he had was always there and it drove a wedge in their marriage. "I can't believe it went on for over a month between them before I found out. I was so damn wrapped up in the real estate I had no idea. I still wonder sometimes if maybe a small part of me is at fault for what happened. Look at today, I had my cell phone off because I thought it would be rude to have it ring when I was with a client. I put strangers ahead of my own child." She sat up and watched Gregory sleep. "He could have been killed and I wouldn't have even known if I hadn't turned on my phone. Greg was right; I'm not paying enough attention to the kids. The kids... " she sighed, "they've become nothing but pawns in this divorce. It's got to stop."


	14. Chapter 14

Speed sat at the kitchen table, phone in hand. "I really need to call Trixie to apologize." He punched in her number; it rang four times before her recorded voice greeted him.

_"You have reached Patricia Shimura; I'm unavailable at the moment. Please leave your name and a brief message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you."_

"Damn," he muttered before raising his voice to leave a message. "Hey Trix, I just wanted to call and let you know how Gregory is doing. His left leg is broken, along with some ribs, but he's going to be fine. Uh...I also want to thank you for putting up with my insanity today. I'm sorry for the way I acted. Really sorry. I hope you can forgive me...I...uh...I'll call you tomorrow, okay? Bye." He heaved a long sigh as he hung up the phone. "I really hope she can forgive me..."

\---

"You gonna answer that call?" Sparky asked.

Trixie shook her head as she glanced at the display on her cell phone. "No. It's Speed and I really don't want to talk to him right now."

"Oh," Sparky said. "I guess he's calling to let you know how Gregory is...and to apologize."

"Whatever," she said. "I love him, Sparky, but I'm getting tired of riding on this merry-go-round. He does or says something stupid or else loses his temper. Afterwards he calls to apologize for his behavior. Over and over and over going back to when we first met. I'm sick of it."

"That's how he's always been, Trix. He's not going to change."

She nodded. "I know. I just thought when I first saw him after all these years that he had changed. He seemed...well...more mature. But the more I see him, the more I realize that he really hasn't changed that much at all. He still has that temper and is still as self-absorbed as ever. I can only imagine how he's going to be during the divorce. How will he react? He wants me to wait for him, but I don't know about that. Sparky, I'm still so confused about what to do."

"I can't help you there, Trix," Sparky said; although he wished he could help her realize how foolish it was to pursue a married man who, even though he would be loathe to admit it, still had feelings for his soon to be ex-wife.

His musings were interrupted by the ringing of his phone. "I wonder who that could be?" he asked with a wink. A quick check of the caller ID caused him to nod. "Knew it." He let it ring a couple of more times before picking it up. "Hi Greg," he said, "how's Gregory?...Uh huh...Whew, glad to know it wasn't worse. Poor kid, having to spend the end of the school year and part of the summer in a cast...Oh, that's good that they let Vicky stay with him...Uh huh...Your car? Sure, I can get it for you. I'll get Pops or Spritle to take me to it...Yes, I guess maybe Spritle would be a better idea...Okay; I'll talk to you tomorrow. Get some rest, okay buddy? Bye." He sighed as he hung up the phone.

"How's Gregory?" Trixie asked.

"His left leg is broken and he's got a couple of busted ribs. Speed said he's going to be fine, though. The hospital is letting Vicky stay the night with him."

"That's good, I guess. Um, did Speed mention me?"

Sparky shook his head. "No...Well, except to let me know that his car is in your hotel's parking lot."

Her face crumpled. "Oh..."

The Go Team mechanic smiled sympathetically. "I'm sure he's got a lot on his mind. The guy sounded totally exhausted. Emotionally, he's had a really rough day."

"I know," she said forcing herself to smile. "Gregory should be foremost in his thoughts right now. I'm glad he's going to be all right."

"Me too," Sparky said. "He's my godson, so he's got a very special place in my heart."

"I didn't know that," Trixie said. "That's nice that they chose you to be his godfather."

"I was very happy when they asked me. Of course, Steph's got a big piece of my heart, too. Those are great kids Speed has there. He's a very lucky guy in that respect."

Trixie nodded and sighed; wondering if she had not left all those years ago whether she and Speed would have had great kids together. She also had a more sobering thought; would Speed's children accept her if she did end up involving herself with him?

\---

Speed quietly tip-toed into his daughter's bedroom. The little girl had been asleep for over an hour, getting to bed later than she normally did on a school night. He sighed as he gazed down at her sleeping form. "Poor kid, she had a lot to deal with today. I hate the thought that she and Gregory know what's been going on between Vicky and me. I gotta make things right for both of them. _"_ He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams, baby." He smiled as she snuggled under the blankets, tightly hugging a stuffed kitten. "I love you, sweetheart." With a sigh, he left the room making sure the door was closed halfway in case she woke up and needed something. He walked past Gregory's room. "It just doesn't feel right not having him here; knowing he's in the hospital and there's nothing I can do for him. Thank God Vicky is with him in case he wakes up in those strange surroundings and gets scared."

He yawned; realizing that he was getting tired. "Off to my office to sleep..." he said. Then he remembred that Vicky wasn't home. He glanced towards the master bedroom. "It's my room, too. I've hardly ever slept in it." They had moved into the house a little over six months ago. But soon after they moved in, he and Vicky separated. He entered the room afraid to disrupt anything. He stared down at the bed before walking around to what was once his side. Carefully, he sat down on it feeling like an intruder in his own room. "This is ridiculous. I have a right to sleep in my bed."

The room felt foreign, yet familiar at the same time. He noticed that Vicky had made small changes, mostly to the decor. Curtains had been hung that matched the new comforter on the bed which had more of a feminine touch than the previous one. One thing that hadn't changed; the pictures in the room were the same. "Odd that she'd still have our wedding picture on her nightstand." He picked it up and stared at it. "Vicky looked so beautiful...I remember how happy we both were that day." He turned on the radio; it was set to the local oldies station. He sighed as familiar song played. _"There are places I remember, all my life..."_ the Beatles sang. He closed his eyes and drifted back in time...

_**Flashback** _

_Speed held Victoria close as they slowly moved about the dance floor. "Our first dance together as husband and wife," he said. "Isn't it wonderful?_

_"Yes," she whispered. "I just wish I didn't feel so fat."_

_"Aw honey, you look gorgeous. You're carrying our child and that's so incredible." He nuzzled her ear. "I think you're the most beautiful woman in the universe and I'm thrilled to be your husband. I love you, baby."_

_"Oh Greg...You know just the right things to say to me. I love you so much."_

_"I'll show you just how much I love you later tonight," he murmured. The dance over, he led her back to their table. The minute they were seated the guests started clinking their spoons on their glasses signaling them to kiss. Speed turned to her and grinned. He pulled her close and kissed her with so much passion he thought his heart would burst._

_\---_

_"Push, honey, push!" an excited Speed said; gripping his wife's hand and wishing he could take some of her pain away._

_"I can't! It hurts and I'm too tired..." Victoria was exhausted; having been in labor for almost thirteen hours. "I can't do this anymore, Greg..." She gasped as yet another contraction hit her. "Damn it!"_

_"C'mon baby... Remember to breathe like they showed you in class."_

_"Screw that class!" she growled; consumed with the pain of impending childbirth. "They didn't tell me it would hurt like this!" Tears fell from her eyes; she was near the breaking point._

_"Sweetheart, you're so close. Just a little more," Speed begged her._

_"Stop telling me what to do, damn it! It's your fault that I'm in pain!"_

_"Vicky... honey... I'm sorry..." Speed knew she wasn't in her right mind, though her words still stung. Suddenly she squeezed his hand so hard he thought she was going to cut off his circulation._

_"I can see the head," the doctor said. "Just a little more. Vicky, it's time for you to push as hard as you can."_

_She let go of Speed's hand and gripped the sides of the bed, thrusting her body upwards as the final contraction hit her. She collapsed back on the pillow as, at last, the pain was gone._

_Speed stared at her and the doctor. The baby was born? Why wasn't it crying? Within moments there was a loud squalling as the new life took its first breath._

_"Congratulations, you have a son!" the doctor exclaimed._

_"A son?" Speed said. The doctor nodded as he placed the newborn in Victoria's arms. "On dear God..." A tear fell from his eye. "He's beautiful." He squatted next to Victoria and kissed her. "We have a son, Vicky..."_

_She nodded; her own tears running in rivulets down her cheeks. "He's perfect, Greg... Looks just like his daddy." She turned her gaze from her son to his father. "I love you so much. Darling... I didn't mean what I said before."_

_He kissed her again. "I know that honey, and I love you...more than words could ever say."_

_A nurse approached then. "I don't want to interrupt but we need to check this little guy so that he can properly meet his mom and dad."_

_Speed nodded and watched nervously, already feeling protective of his son, as the nurse picked up the infant and carried him from the birthing room._

_Another nurse approached them. "How about we get the new mom settled in her room so that we can bring baby up for his first meal?"_

_A tired Victoria nodded. "Gregory Racer, Jr., that's my baby's name..."_

_Speed watched as they wheeled her away. "I'm a dad, I can't believe it!" He then remembered the group assembled outside all anxiously awaiting word on the birth. "I guess I'd better tell them the good news!" He strode out into the waiting area; sporting a huge, goofy grin._

_"Well?" Pops asked. Mom stood by him with an expectant smile on her face. Victoria's parents were also there with similar expressions on their faces._

_"It's a boy," Speed said simply. "I'm a father."_

_"A son! All right!" Pops exclaimed as he pumped his fist in the air and the others cheered. Then the group surrounded Speed; hugging him and offering congratulations._

_\---_

_Speed smiled as he quietly walked up behind his wife. She stood over newborn Gregory's crib; watching him as he slept. Speed tenderly wrapped his arms around her and kissed the back of her head. "Watcha doin' Mommy?"_

_She leaned back into him and sighed. "Just looking at our beautiful son. He's so perfect, Greg."_

_"That he is," he said. "I can't believe he's ours, Vicky. Our child, created out of our love."_

_She nodded. "I'm so happy... Happier than I've ever been in my life. I have a wonderful husband and together we have a son." She turned to him; her eyes welled up with tears. "I love you so much, Greg." She leaned up and kissed him._

_"I love you too, Vicky. Thank you for giving me a son," Speed said as they looked upon the miracle that they had created._

_"You're not disappointed we didn't have a girl? You went on and on about wanting a daughter."_

_"I did? Must have been temporary insanity because I can't believe ever wanting anything but him."_

_Vicky grinned. "Must have been." She sighed and then yawned._

_"You're exhausted," Speed told her. "Why don't you lie down and get some rest. It'll be feeding time before you know it."_

_She nodded. "Yeah, I've got only an hour or so before he wakes up again." She slowly moved away from him. "You coming with me?"_

_"In a minute." He heard Vicky's footsteps pad down the hall as he gazed down at his son. "Gregory, I've only been your father for a few days, but already I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love someone. And I want you to know that I'll always be here to protect you and keep you safe. Nobody will ever harm you, not while your Daddy's here." He bent down and kissed the slumbering infant. "I love you, baby. Sleep tight."_

_\---_

_Speed sighed as he pulled into the driveway of his home. He'd had another poor performance at the track. "Good thing it was just practice and not a race. Pops would really have killed me." He had been distracted and found it hard to concentrate and it was really starting to show. The months of Victoria trying to conceive their second child were taking their toll on him. "Why was it so easy for her to get pregnant with Gregory and now with this second one it's practically impossible?" The couple had recently visited a fertility specialist who could find nothing wrong with either of them. He advised them to stop trying so hard and just enjoy their marriage; pregnancy would eventually occur. "That's easy for him to say, he's not the one desperate for another child." They were seriously considering adoption at this point. At least Speed was. Victoria wanted to wait a few more months before making that decision._

_He opened the car door; stepped out and stared at his home. For some reason it seemed especially depressing today. He realized why as he approached the front door and saw that the curtains were drawn. "Oh boy, this doesn't look good." He straightened as he opened the door, prepared to comfort his wife as yet another month passed without a pregnancy occurring._

_Sure enough, Victoria sat on the couch of the darkened room looking down morosely at her hands. He sat next to her. She gazed up at him with glistening eyes. "Hi honey..."_

_"Hi sweetheart." He put his arm around her and noticed she was holding something. "What's that in your hand?"_

_"What else?" She held up up the stick. "Another month, another pregnancy test." She handed him the stick._

_"Aw Vic, I'm sorry..." He pulled her closer as he studied the stick. "Huh? It's got a plus on it. Doesn't a plus mean that you're...?"_

_"Pregnant? Yep that's exactly what it means."_

_"What?" His eyes opened wide. "You're really pregnant?"_

_She nodded and broke into a wide grin. "We did it, Daddy!"_

_"Aw, Sweetheart!" He jumped off the couch, grabbed her up in his arms and spun her around. "I can't believe it!" He put her down and covered her with kisses. "We're gonna have a baby!"_

_"Yes!" Tears fell from her eyes as she returned the kisses_

_"Daddy?" a tiny voice from below pulled on his jeans. "Why is Mommy crying?"_

_Speed released his wife, and bent down to his son and picked him up. "She's crying because she's happy. She's gonna have a baby, Gregory."_

_"Really?" the child asked. "When?"_

_"In a few months," Speed said. "And when the baby's born you'll be a big brother. Isn't that exciting?"_

_"Yeah. But a puppy'd be more exciting."_

_"A puppy?" Speed exclaimed as he lifted the boy high in the air; the child laughed hysterically. "You're a funny little guy, you know that?"_

_\---_

_Speed and Pops sat together in the diner across the street from Pops' Motors. The two men often dined there together on the days when Speed would help his father out._

_"So, Vicky and I had a sonogram done this morning."_

_"And?" Pops asked. He knew something had been up with his son. Speed had been acting very giddy and had been in incredibly good spirits since he'd arrived early that afternoon._

_"The baby's looking really good. Very healthy sounding and the doctor said she's growing fast."_

_"She?"_

_"Yes, she." He grinned. "Vicky and I are going to be the proud parents of a baby girl, Pops."_

_Pops face broke into a broad smile. "Aw, a daughter. That's wonderful, Speed. I'm going to have a granddaughter. Do you know how thrilled your mother is going to be? She finally gets a little girl to spoil."_

_Speed nodded. "Yeah, I thought of that. And boy, she sure will be spoiled by Mom and all the Racer men. Me, especially," he said with a chuckle._

_"She'll be Daddy's little girl for sure," Pops remarked, noting the dreamy look in his son's eyes. "Think of any names for her yet?"_

_"A few. Vicky likes Madison. I think that it's too trendy. I prefer more traditional names like Elizabeth. Of course, we still have some time to mull this over."_

_"Yes, you do. But those months will go by so fast. What'll probably happen is that you'll settle on her name once she's born. Sometimes kids even have a way of naming themselves. I bet you'll take one look at her and know what the right name should be."_

_"Maybe, Pops. Although Vicky was settled on Gregory for a boy and I couldn't budge her on it. I wasn't thrilled about having a son that I was sure everyone would call Junior. But I went with her on it. And I'm making damn sure nobody ever calls him Junior."_

_\---_

_Speed zoomed around the track well ahead of the second and third place cars. "Only ten more laps to go. I'm gonna win this thing, I know it!"_

_There was static on his headphones and then his father's urgent voice. "Speed, come in!"_

_"What's up, Pops?"_

_"It's Vicky...She's gone into labor!"_

_"What? She's not due for another two weeks," Speed said; somewhat in shock._

_"Tell your baby that!"_

_"What am I gonna do? The end of the race is so close."_

_"I got your mother on my cell phone, she's in with Vicky. I'll put her on."_

_"Speed?" his mother asked._

_"Mom, how's Vicky?"_

_"She's fine and she's only in the very early stages of labor."_

_"Thank God. Can I talk to her?"_

_There were a few seconds of silence and then Vicky's voice. "Honey, I'm fine. There's plenty of time before our daughter gets here. Finish the race."_

_"I can't do that! I gotta get to the hospital!" He was coming close to the turn and nearly spun out as his concentration was now gone. "Shit...almost lost it."_

_"Greg! I'm watching the race; you almost crashed! Please be careful, darling. I don't want to lose you on the day our daughter is born."_

_"I'll be careful, baby." Speed took a few deep breaths. "Are you sure I've got enough time?"_

_"Plenty. Win that race for me and the baby, Greg. And remember, I love you."_

_"I love you too, honey."_

_His father came back on the headset. "You've got nine laps more to go; win this damn race and then get to the hospital...DAD!"_

_Speed grinned. "I'm gonna win this for my family. For Vicky, Gregory and our new baby daughter. Daughter...I'm gonna be a father again!" He narrowed his eyes and gave the Mach Five extra gas. He now drove like a man possessed and easily won the race. He made it to the hospital just in time to be there for the birth of his baby daughter, who they both agreed should be named Stephanie._

_\---_

_Speed lifted Gregory so that he could get a better view of the hospital's nursery. "See that baby, Gregory, the one in the corner?" Speed pointed at the glass. "That's your sister."_

_"She's really little," the child said dubiously. "I thought I was gonna get a sister I could play with."_

_His father grinned. "You will. In a few months she'll be crawling all over the place and then walking. You're her big brother and she'll learn a lot from you."_

_"A big brother...Just like Timmy!" His face lit up as he thought of his friend who lived down the street and had a little brother._

_"Yep. Just like I was a big brother to your Uncle Spritle."_

_"But, Daddy, Unca Spritle's bigger an' you" the little boy said with a giggle._

_Speed chucked. Gregory was right, Spritle had grown into a strapping young man with a girth that was at least twice the size of his older brother's._

_**End Flashback**_ __  
  
Speed sighed as the song ended. "Life was good for us once upon a time..." He shook his head as he readied himself for bed; opting to sleep in his boxers instead of walking down the hall to retrieve a pair of pajamas from his office. There had been a time when he didn't wear anything to bed; a time when he and Vicky made love nearly every night. Those days were long gone. He stared at his left hand, at the gold band that shined in the soft glow of the light. "Vicky and I are separated; I shouldn't be wearing this ring anymore." He slipped it off his finger and placed it on the night stand. He shook his head and quickly put it back on; feeling naked without it. "Wimp," he said. He sighed again as he slipped into bed; sleeping on the side that was once his. He closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep.

He woke up with a start. "Gregory!" he shouted. He glanced about the room, eyes wide with fear before he realized that he had been dreaming. "Just a nightmare," he said, relived, although his heart pounded hard in his chest. The bedside clock glowed a bright red, 3:34 am was the time. He ran his hand through his damp hair as sweat running dripped off his face. "That dream was way too real." He closed his eyes and tried to forget the horrifying image of Gregory falling off a cliff; a petrified Stephanie screaming as she watched. He tried to run and catch him, but his legs felt like they were made of stone. So he stared, in abject terror, as his son crashed to the ground. That's when he woke up; grateful that none of it was real.

"Don't think I'll be able to get anymore sleep," he said as he sat up; stretched his stiff body and rose from the bed. He went down the hall to his office where he donned his robe. Before leaving the room, he noticed that the window was open and went over to shut it. "It's a muggy night," he remarked as he gazed outside. The pool water glistened in the moonlight. The scene outside was calm and inviting. "Maybe a swim is what I need."

\---

Speed sat on a lounge chair by the side of the pool. He had gone for a quick swim and now stared out at the water while he waited for the sun to rise. He tried to clear his mind, but couldn't. His thoughts were racing a mile a minute. "Gregory could've been killed because he was so distressed over the divorce. It's shocking how much he and Stephie know about what's going on. Those poor kids..." He sighed as he rubbed his forehead feeling a headache coming on, the result of the previous day's stress. "What are we supposed to tell them? That everything's going to be okay? That we're not getting divorced?" He sighed again. "And what about Trixie? How can I explain to them that whole situation? I want a relationship with her, but if we get together it's bound to affect the kids. Hell, Stephanie even mentioned that she and Gregory were afraid I'd leave Vicky for her." He closed his eyes; the guilt weighed heavily upon him because that was exactly what he intended to do. "Trixie... the great love of my life. After the way I treated her at the ER, I have to wonder if she feels the same way. I just hope she got the message I left her and that she'll be able to forgive me for the way I acted."

He looked away from the pool and noticed a glow in the eastern sky. "Sun's coming up; time for a cup of coffee or two," he said as he rose from the chair and headed towards the house. He ended up making a six cup pot of brew. "Gonna need a lot of this to keep awake today." As he sipped it, his thoughts again turned back to his former love. "I'll call Trixie before I go to the hospital to get Gregory and Vicky. Maybe she'll forgive me after I speak to her and explain that I was out of my mind with worry over Gregory. She'll listen to me... she has to!"

The sudden sound of feet running around upstairs startled him. "Mommy... Daddy! Where are you? MOMMY! DADDY!" Stephanie cried out in panic.

Speed was up the stairs in a flash. He found his daughter standing in the hall in hysterics.

"They're gone... Mommy and Daddy are gone!" she wailed. "They took Gregory and left me alone...!"

He switched on the light. "I'm here, honey, Daddy's here!" he said as he grabbed the shaking child and held her in his arms.

She stared at him in disbelief. "Daddy? I..." She hugged him fiercely. "I thought you and Mommy got divorced and took Gregory and forgot me!"

"Oh, baby, why would you ever think something like that?" he asked as she finally relaxed in his comforting embrace.

"I had a bad dream and got scared. So I went downstairs to Mommy's room to sleep, but she wasn't there. Then I went into your office and you weren't there. An' then I went up to Gregory's room and he was gone, too! I got even scareder 'cause I was all alone and that's what my dream was about. You and Mommy got divorced and you went away and I never saw you again. Mommy left, too. I don't know where she went. I woke up and went to Mommy's room when she wasn't there. I thought you and Mommy and Gregory went away and left me alone in the house."

"Sweetheart, neither your mother nor I would ever leave you. We both love you, you know that." She nodded as he wiped away her tears. "Your brother fell off the swings and is in the hospital and your mother is staying with him, remember?"

"Now I do. But I forgot when I had the bad dream and woke up. You weren't in your office when I went in there."

"I was downstairs having a cup of coffee," he explained.

"Oh. How come you got up so early? It's still pretty dark out."

A little smile crossed his face. "I had a bad dream, too, and couldn't get back to sleep."

The little girl returned the smile. "An' that's why you were having coffee so early. Does drinking it make you feel better, Daddy?"

"Yes, I guess it does," he said.

Her eyes lit up. "Then can I have some coffee so I'll feel better?"

"I don't think your mother would approve of that. You're just a little too young to drink coffee," he said as he picked her up and carried her down the stairs. "How about you have a nice, cold glass of milk, along with waffles for breakfast instead?"

"Waffles! I love them. Can I have choc'lit in my milk?"

Speed nodded as he lowered her to the floor. "Sure thing."

"I'll set the table like I do for Mommy," she told him.

Her father grinned as he watched her set out the utensils, plates and napkins. "Thank you, honey, you're such a good help to me." he said in a cheerful voice that belied the turmoil he was going through. _"First Gregory purposely falls off the swings in an attempt to stop us from divorcing. Now, Steph's having nightmares. They must have been hearing our arguments. Vic and I have been behaving worse than children. The fighting has to stop."_

As he ate his breakfast he finally came to the only conclusion he could. " _Vicky and I have to stop being selfish when it comes to the kids. We're both their parents and we'd better start acting like it. We need to resolve this amicably for the sake of Gregory and Stephanie. I hope she agrees because this is tearing those poor kids apart."_

Steph abruptly rose from the table and ran out of the kitchen. Speed stared after her, wondering what she was doing. A few moments later she was back. She handed him his cell phone. "It was ringing, Daddy. I thought it might be Mommy."

"Thanks honey." He couldn't believe he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the phone. A quick check of the display showed a missed call. He figured that maybe Steph was right, it was Vicky calling. Or perhaps the hospital. His heart skipped a beat when he read the number. "Trixie... " he said softly, his face suddenly taking on a dreamy expression.

Stephanie heard what he said. _"Aunt Trixie,"_ she thought, " _why is she calling Daddy so early?"_ There was a sick feeling in her stomach. _"Maybe Gregory's right and she really is his girlfriend."_ Breakfast was no longer appetizing. She angrily stabbed the waffles with her fork before pushing the plate away.

"Don't you like your breakfast?" Speed asked her. His mood had lifted considerably after receiving the phone call.

The girl glared at him. "I'm not hungry anymore." She left the table and stomped out of the room.

"What got into her?" Speed shook his head, "Kids." The thought never entered his mind that not only was the impending divorce affecting his children, but his involvement with his former lover was adding even more to their distress.


	15. Chapter 15

Victoria wandered down the hallway located on the fifth floor of Good Samaritan Medical Center. She was too restless to sleep; her mind was in over-drive. Her journey took her to the nurses' station.

"Mrs. Racer," the night duty nurse asked, "is anything the matter?"

Victoria shook her head and offered a smile. "No. I just couldn't sleep. I was worried about waking Gregory, so I decided to take a walk and get a cup of coffee." She smiled again and shrugged. "It's not like I'm going to get anymore sleep tonight anyway."

The nurse nodded sympathetically. "There's a coffee machine down the hall. Not the best tasting stuff, though."

"It'll have to do, I guess."

"There's espresso in the staff lounge," the nurse said. "Much better than that horrid coffee machine swill."

"Thank you. As long as I'm allowed in there..."

"No problem," she said. "It's a small room and not used much. Most of the staff prefer the larger one on the fourth floor; it has a plasma TV and a pinball machine," she said with a wink.

"I don't need any of that, just a nice cup of espresso."

"Well, there is a regular TV in there and some magazines."

"Sounds good to me." Victoria said before she headed down the hall to the lounge.

She entered the room, noting that she was not alone. There were two young men wearing scrubs sitting on a couch that faced the TV. They didn't seem to notice Victoria entering the room as they were too engrossed in the show that they were watching. _"Good,"_ she said to herself as she poured a cup of espresso, _"I just want to be left alone."_ She chose a chair as far away from the men as possible.

A stack of magazines stood on the corner of the coffee table. As she looked through them, one particular cover caught her eye. "Sports Weekly," she whispered as she picked it up.

 _**Flashback  
** _ _  
"Vicky, are you busy?" Maggie asked as she entered the reception area carrying a large box filled with magazines and periodicals._

_"No. I was just sorting the mail, but it can wait," Vicky responded._

_"Great. Would you mind going through these? One of our clients, the Taylors, sent them over before they moved. If you could just sort them out and toss out the ones that are over six months old, I'd really appreciate it."_

_"No problem," Vicky said as Maggie deposited them on her desk._

_"Thanks. If you see any that interest you, please take them."_

_Vicky nodded as Maggie left to go to lunch. She started looking through the magazines. "Mostly sports... Definitely not something I'm interested in. Although, maybe I can find something Greg would like; he's such a sports nut."_

_She checked the dates on them, making two piles. "This is three years old...Toss it!" she said as she dropped the magazine on the left pile. This one's only a couple months old; definitely one to keep." She deposited that one on the pile to the right. She gave a cursory glance at the covers as she continued looking through them. She stopped in her tracks as the blaring headline, and picture, on the cover of a magazine called "Sports Weekly" caught her eye._

_**"AUTO RACING'S HOT, YOUNG STUDS!"** _ _it proclaimed. Posing together on the cover were five handsome young men. One man in particularly stood out. He was obviously the true focus of the story as he was situated in the middle of the five. Striking in appearance, he had dark hair, twinkling blue eyes and a perfect smile that revealed perfect white teeth. "Greg?" she said softly, then as she read the name of the young man, "Not Greg... Speed... Speed Racer. I've heard of him, but never saw a photo of him until now. I don't believe it... He told me he worked in his father's factory. Greg's been lying to me about who he is and what he does. Why?"_

_She opened up the magazine and started to read the article. She came upon the section about his personal life and her interest piqued._

_**"The young man who has taken the racing world by storm, winning his second consecutive World Championship, is also truly what he appears to be: Smart, confident in his skills, honest and probably one of the nicest, most sincere competitors in the sport.** _

_**"I've got a lot of people who keep me grounded," Speed explained, "especially my girlfriend, Trixie." The Trixie of whom he speaks is aviation heiress, Patricia Shimura, who goes by the aforementioned nickname. "We've been together for a little over three years, since I first started racing, and she's stuck by me through good and bad times."** _

_**When asked if there are any plans for marriage, he chuckled, "I'm only twenty and definitely not ready for that, yet. Although, I can see myself married, with a couple of kids; white picket fence; the whole deal maybe in like ten years or so. So sure, someday... but not now."** _

_**He noted that while he isn't ready for marriage, he also isn't on the market. Not that being in a committed relationship hasn't kept Speed from noticing, and appreciating, the many female fans who pile in the stands each week to watch him race. "Yeah, who couldn't help but notice? I am a guy, right?" he said with a laugh. Speed told us it's all looking and not touching. "I'd be so dead if I ever even thought of getting involved with one of my fans! Just kidding, but I'm really not interested in anyone else. Trixie and I have something special."** _

_The rest of his part of the article had to do with racing; his team and competitors. Those were not of interest to Vicky. Although, his former girlfriend was._ _**  
**_ _  
"Trixie Shimura. He went out with her a long time and she was an heiress!" Vicky exclaimed. "It's obvious they're no longer dating. I wonder what happened? She's can't be a part of his life anymore because he spends just about every night with me. Oh, what does it even matter? That was over two years ago. What I should be concerned about is the fact that he's been lying to me all this time. What else is he keeping from me?" She closed the magazine and angrily shoved it in her tote bag. "He's got a lot of explaining to do when I see him tonight."_

_\---_

_"Hey, baby," Speed said as he greeted her with a kiss at her front door. "You look gorgeous today, as always."_

_"Thank you," she said. Her voice was flat and cold. "How was your day at the factory?"_

_"Busy. My own man really knows how to put on the pressure. He wants things done perfectly, and fast, or else!"_

_"Poor thing. You need something to take your mind off your job, you work so hard. Some magazines were donated to the office today. I found one that I'm sure you'll be interested in. It's on the coffee table. Why don't you read it and relax while I get us some snacks and a couple of drinks."_

_Speed smiled as lowered himself to the sofa. "Sounds good to me."_

_Vicky watched from the kitchen as he picked up the magazine. The color drained from his face when he read the cover. "I wonder what excuse he'll have for lying to me?" She prepared the snacks, choosing to make a couple of mixed drinks for them rather than cokes. "I have a feeling we'll both need good, stiff drinks tonight." She carried a tray with the drinks and cheese and crackers into the living room; noting that Speed sat very still; staring down at the floor. Without even seeing his face, she could tell the guilty expression that held it. "Made us a couple of screwdrivers. I figured after your long, hard, tiring day at the factory, you could use one."_

_"Thanks," he said as he took the drink from the tray; unable to face her._

_She sat next to him. "Interesting magazine, huh?"_

_He gulped. "Uh yeah, about that... I was going to tell you... I didn't mean to mislead you about what... who I am." He shook his head obviously annoyed with himself. "When I first came to your office and you saw me, there was no sign of recognition on your face. Then, when I told you my name, you didn't ask if I was any relation to the guy who races cars. That's something that I'm asked all the time when I use my given name; that is if they don't recognize my face first. It was kind of a nice feeling to get to be plain, old Greg Racer, you know?" She said nothing. "Anyway, when we went out that first night, I could feel that there was something very special going on between us. I loved the fact that you liked me for who I am instead of for what I am. I hope you get what I mean."_

_She finally spoke, "Yes, I do know what you mean. But what I don't understand is why you've been keeping your true identity from me for so long. We've been going out almost a month and I have to wonder how long it would have taken you to fess up if I hadn't found that magazine."_

_"I've been wanting to tell you for the longest time, but couldn't figure out a way to do it. I guess fate did it for me. I'm really sorry, Vicky. Can you forgive me?"_

_She gazed at him and could feel herself getting lost in the deep, blue depths of his eyes. "I guess I can, Greg. Or should I call you Speed?"_

_He shrugged. "Whatever you feel most comfortable with. Although, I kinda like that you use my given name."_

_"I kind of like using it, too," she said. "So, I guess I'll continue to call you Greg. I'm used to it, anyway. I'd feel funny calling you Speed."_

_He nodded; pulled her close and kissed her._

_She slowly moved away; one question still nagged at her. "This girl Trixie you dated, from what you said in the article it seemed as if the two of you were very serious about each other."_

_Speed visibly stiffened. "Uh... We were, at the time it was written, almost three years ago. We've since gone our separate ways."_

_"How long ago did you break up?"_

_He now appeared to be even more uncomfortable. "A couple of months ago." Vicky's expression changed, it was obvious this upset her. "Yeah, it was only a short time ago, but you gotta understand... We'd been living together for two years and..."_

_She cut him off, 'You_ _ **LIVED**_ _with her?"_

_Speed nodded. "But for the last six months of that time, we really didn't have much of a relationship. We'd already grown apart. I think it's because what we both wanted in life changed."_

_"Oh really?" Vicky said. "What changed for each of you?"_

_Speed closed his eyes; Vicky could see the look of annoyance on his face. "Why do you care?" She glared at him. "Okay...I really wanted to settle down and she didn't. I guess you know she came from a wealthy family who were really into that jet setting kind of lifestyle. The summer before we broke up, we went to visit her family at their villa on the Mediterranean. She connected with her old friends and that was when she changed. I kind of felt out of place among them, but I made the best of it. When we got back home she seemed desperate and very moody. I was petrified that she was going to leave me; so I bought her a ring and asked her to marry me. I was kinda surprised when she said..."_

_"Wait, wait... You bought her a ring and proposed?"_

_"Yes... I wasn't thinking too clearly when I did that. It wasn't fair to her, or me, but we got engaged anyway and realized that it was the biggest mistake we could have made. So, we agreed to break it off. She gave me back the ring; I wished her well and that was that."_

_His expression seemed sincere, but Vicky couldn't shake the idea that he was lying and the relationship didn't end the way he said it did. Still, she only had her intuition and she doubted that he would be forthcoming with any more information. So, she accepted him at his word._

_**End Flashback** _

She sighed as she tossed the magazine back on the table. _"Looking back, he's always been a liar. He'd deny it, of course. But I should have realized if he if would lie about his identity, he'd lie about other things, too. Like his feelings for Trixie. He told me that he was over her. He never really was. I can't even blame her for how he feels. I know she feels the same way. I just doubt she'd act on her feelings if he wasn't encouraging her."_ Tears filled her eyes; she blinked them back. _"I could never compete with her memory. I sure as hell can't compete with her when she's physically here. Oh Greg, why wasn't I good enough for you?"_

Her attention was suddenly focused on the television as she heard her soon to be ex-husband's voice, **"My life is just perfect right now. I've got a wonderful, gorgeous wife, two great kids; I won this year's world championship. Everything is going so well, I'm almost afraid to talk about it, you know?"** He grinned. **"Like I'm gonna jinx myself or something."**

A narrator's voice then spoke, **"Speed didn't realize how prophetic those last words were. As only two weeks later, tragedy struck."** Video of the wreck involving Jet Swift and Speed was shown. **"The crash took the life of popular, talented rookie, Jet Swift, and propelled Speed into early retirement."** Footage of Speed's retirement speech filled the screen. Victoria bit her lip as she viewed it.

One of the men watching the show commented, "Man, that dude could've won a lot more championships if he hadn't retired."

The man next to him nodded. "Yeah. But, he did it for his family. Kinda noble if you ask me. _"_

"No, he did it for his wife. Everybody in the racing world knows what a bitch she is. She hardly ever went to his races because she hates racing so much. If you ask me, the guy's totally whipped. Didja see his face when he read that stupid speech? Freakin' crying, man! If that's not a whipped wimp, I don't know what is."

The other man laughed. "Maybe you're right. It's a shame he became so wussified. I miss watching him race."

"Me, too. Remember that rich chick he was dating? I betcha he'd never have quit if he'd stayed with her."

His seat mate agreed. "Yep. She was cool; don't know what happened with them. He got married to that blonde chick pretty fast. I heard she was knocked-up."

"I heard that, too," his friend said. "Why else would he marry her? She probably would have gone to the press about it, so he figured it was better off to just marry her and shut her the hell up. Shit, what a jackass!"

Victoria cringed and lowered herself into her seat. She grabbed the nearest magazine and buried her face in it, pretending to read. _"Is that what Greg's fans think about me? I never realized how I came across to them."_

One of the men rose and noticed Victoria sitting behind him. "I'm sorry about the language, ma'am."

"I didn't hear you. I was too engrossed in my reading, I guess." She continued to keep her nose buried in the magazine.

He addressed his friend. "Later, Jim."

"See ya, Jason." Jim changed the channel and settled down to watch a horror movie.

With the man's attention drawn to the television, Victoria quietly left the room. Her emotions were in turmoil. _"I'd have been better off if I'd stayed in Gregory's room,"_ she sighed. She walked down the hall; went back into her son's room and was surprised to find him awake.

"Hey Mom, where were you?" he asked.

"I was restless, so I went for a walk. Have you been awake long, sweetie?

"A little while. The nurse came into do something and I woke up. I'm not sleepy anymore."

"Neither am I."

"It's not even light out, yet," the boy said. "I guess that means it's too early for us to go home, right?"

"Yes, honey we have a few hours to go before that can happen."

"Even if we could leave, we have to wait for Dad. Do you think he's up, yet?"

"Knowing your father, I'm sure he is." Victoria had to smile. " _Greg most likely didn't sleep at all._ _I can only imagine how much coffee he's drunk by now,"_ she mused, knowing that he was normally a bundle of energy and she figured that he must be bouncing off the walls by now.

"So, if Dad is picking us up does that mean he's not going to go to work?" the child asked.

"Nope, he's staying home."

The boy's face lit up. "I'm so glad. Mom, you and Dad are hardly ever home together anymore. Do you think maybe Stephanie could miss school? That way we can be like a real family for a day!"

Victoria winced as she digested what her son said. She sighed and said, "Honey, you know we're a real family, the thing is that your father works long hours and so do I. We do our best to spend as much time with you kids as we can."

"I know that, Mom. It's just that I miss us doing things together. I remember when I was little and Dad still raced. He'd practice in the morning and then take me to see you at work, then we'd all go to the park together."

"You remember that? You were so young," Victoria said.

"I know. But I really do remember a lot of it. Like Dad pushing me on the swings and you taking pictures. The time you and Dad went down the slide together and ended up getting stuck half-way down. We all laughed so hard at that."

She smiled at the bitter-sweet memory. "Yes, we did."

"And I remember when Steph was little and Dad quit racing. We used to have so much fun when he'd pick me up from school and take us to the amusement park and the movies and stuff."

"I'm sure you had a lot of fun," Victoria said in a soft voice. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to enjoy it with you."

"Me, too. Dad said that you were working hard and that they needed you at the real estate because you were the best at selling houses."

"He did?"

"Yep. He even said that we should all be proud of you. And we are, Mom."

"Thanks..." she whispered, grateful for her son's words, yet feeling guilty because she felt she wasn't there enough for her children.

_**Flashback** _

_"Greg, it's not working. Call the doctor back and tell him that!" a distressed Vicky said as she walked the floor with her screaming daughter._

_"Vic, calm down," Speed said in a soothing voice. "She's had these earaches before; the medicine just takes time to work."_

_"The medicine is_ _ **not**_ _working, that's the problem!"_

_The child's screams became even louder. She squirmed in her mother's arms; trying desperately to wriggle free. "Daddy! Want Daddy!" she cried._

_Vicky held her closer. "Aw honey, don't you want to be with me?"_

_Stephanie vehemently shook her head. "Don't want you, Mommy! Want Daddy!"_

_"Here, give her to me." Speed held out his arms. Vicky sighed and handed him their daughter. "Shhh... Don't cry, sweetheart," he comforted her. "Daddy will make you feel better." She watched her husband as he held the girl close, lightly rubbing her back. Wiping the tears from her face, she quickly exited the room. "It kills me to see her like this; in so much pain. It hurts even more to know that she doesn't want me." She stared out the window. The sky was clear; there was a full moon. Her eyes took in none of it as her thoughts were on her daughter. "She acts like she hates me..."_

_\---_

_Within twenty minutes, Stephanie's cries abated. Speed tiptoed from the room. "She's finally asleep," he said as he sat down on his easy-chair. Vicky moved to the floor and placed her head on his knee. He stroked her hair and could feel her body shaking. "Honey, are you okay?"_

_"No," she said, sobbing, "my daughter hates me!"_

_"No she doesn't."_

_"They why didn't she want me to hold her?"_

_Speed sighed. "It's got nothing to do with you. It's just that now that I'm not racing anymore I'm home all day. She's gotten used to being with me."_

_She raised her head. "Greg, you quit racing not even three months ago."_

_"Vic, she's only a little over two years old. That's a life time to a kid that age."_

_"Maybe so. It still doesn't make me feel any better. I know that I'm not home enough. It's just that the office is so busy right now."_

_"Honey, I understand. You're moving up fast and you've got a real gift for selling a house."_

_She smiled. "Thanks, baby. But it doesn't help to ease my guilt about not being home with the kids enough. I'm glad that you're here for them, though I still feel like they're forgetting who I am."_

_"Never," Speed said. "Because, if that's true, then they might soon be forgetting who I am."_

_She sat up. "What do you mean?"_

_"I've decided to take that job Dan offered me. The pay is good and I'm getting antsy sitting around the house. Oh sure, I love being a stay at home dad, it's one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. It's also the most frustrating. I need to be doing something more; earning a paycheck, like a man should."_

_"Oh really?" Vicky eyed him. "That's a bit of a sexist statement, Gregory Racer." She broke into a grin. "But I understand. The problem is, if you go back to work, who is going to watch the kids? My hours are fairly flexible, but there are times I get held-up showing a home."_

_Speed nodded. "I thought about that. I talked to my mother and she said she'd be thrilled to take on that task. She's missed having a young child to take care of."_

_Vicky nodded. "That could work and in a pinch I'm sure my folks wouldn't mind helping out even if they don't live so close."_

_"I was thinking about working late a couple of days a week so I can take some time off to be with the kids," Speed said. "Especially in the summer when Gregory's out of school."_

_Vicky smiled and nodded. "That's a good idea. I'm sure I can do that, too. Maggie's pretty good with working those kind of things out."_

_"And you know Dan. He loves the kids! I'll make flex hours part of the deal when I sign my contract with Interpol."_

_"Contract?" Vicky raised her right eyebrow. "Sounds like a fancy-schmancy job!"_

_Speed pulled her close, grinning. "It is. Now how about you give your soon-to-be-employed, big-shot husband a kiss?"_

_"Thought you'd never ask," she said as she kissed him over and over with increasing passion._

_He leaned back in his chair, panting slightly. "Do you wanna move this show to the bedroom?" She nodded breathlessly as he picked her up and carried her down the hall._

_**End Flashback** _

Victoria sighed as she came back to the present. _"What happened to our flex hours? When did work become more important than our kids?"_ she asked herself. With a sad sigh, she glanced over at Gregory who had fallen back to sleep. "Poor baby, you and your sister have suffered because of the selfishness of your father and me. This is going to change. I promise!" she vowed.

 


End file.
